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WO2000033997A1 - Honeycomb structure, method of forming a honeycomb structure and method of joining aluminium or aluminium alloy bodies - Google Patents

Honeycomb structure, method of forming a honeycomb structure and method of joining aluminium or aluminium alloy bodies Download PDF

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Publication number
WO2000033997A1
WO2000033997A1 PCT/GB1999/004130 GB9904130W WO0033997A1 WO 2000033997 A1 WO2000033997 A1 WO 2000033997A1 GB 9904130 W GB9904130 W GB 9904130W WO 0033997 A1 WO0033997 A1 WO 0033997A1
Authority
WO
WIPO (PCT)
Prior art keywords
foils
solder
aluminium
honeycomb structure
lines
Prior art date
Legal status (The legal status is an assumption and is not a legal conclusion. Google has not performed a legal analysis and makes no representation as to the accuracy of the status listed.)
Ceased
Application number
PCT/GB1999/004130
Other languages
French (fr)
Inventor
Hassan Shirvani
Current Assignee (The listed assignees may be inaccurate. Google has not performed a legal analysis and makes no representation or warranty as to the accuracy of the list.)
Anglia Ruskin University
Original Assignee
Anglia Ruskin University
Priority date (The priority date is an assumption and is not a legal conclusion. Google has not performed a legal analysis and makes no representation as to the accuracy of the date listed.)
Filing date
Publication date
Application filed by Anglia Ruskin University filed Critical Anglia Ruskin University
Publication of WO2000033997A1 publication Critical patent/WO2000033997A1/en
Anticipated expiration legal-status Critical
Ceased legal-status Critical Current

Links

Classifications

    • B—PERFORMING OPERATIONS; TRANSPORTING
    • B23—MACHINE TOOLS; METAL-WORKING NOT OTHERWISE PROVIDED FOR
    • B23K—SOLDERING OR UNSOLDERING; WELDING; CLADDING OR PLATING BY SOLDERING OR WELDING; CUTTING BY APPLYING HEAT LOCALLY, e.g. FLAME CUTTING; WORKING BY LASER BEAM
    • B23K35/00—Rods, electrodes, materials, or media, for use in soldering, welding, or cutting
    • B23K35/001—Interlayers, transition pieces for metallurgical bonding of workpieces
    • B23K35/002—Interlayers, transition pieces for metallurgical bonding of workpieces at least one of the workpieces being of light metal
    • B—PERFORMING OPERATIONS; TRANSPORTING
    • B21—MECHANICAL METAL-WORKING WITHOUT ESSENTIALLY REMOVING MATERIAL; PUNCHING METAL
    • B21D—WORKING OR PROCESSING OF SHEET METAL OR METAL TUBES, RODS OR PROFILES WITHOUT ESSENTIALLY REMOVING MATERIAL; PUNCHING METAL
    • B21D47/00—Making rigid structural elements or units, e.g. honeycomb structures
    • B—PERFORMING OPERATIONS; TRANSPORTING
    • B23—MACHINE TOOLS; METAL-WORKING NOT OTHERWISE PROVIDED FOR
    • B23K—SOLDERING OR UNSOLDERING; WELDING; CLADDING OR PLATING BY SOLDERING OR WELDING; CUTTING BY APPLYING HEAT LOCALLY, e.g. FLAME CUTTING; WORKING BY LASER BEAM
    • B23K1/00—Soldering, e.g. brazing, or unsoldering
    • B23K1/0008—Soldering, e.g. brazing, or unsoldering specially adapted for particular articles or work
    • B23K1/0014—Brazing of honeycomb sandwich structures
    • B—PERFORMING OPERATIONS; TRANSPORTING
    • B23—MACHINE TOOLS; METAL-WORKING NOT OTHERWISE PROVIDED FOR
    • B23K—SOLDERING OR UNSOLDERING; WELDING; CLADDING OR PLATING BY SOLDERING OR WELDING; CUTTING BY APPLYING HEAT LOCALLY, e.g. FLAME CUTTING; WORKING BY LASER BEAM
    • B23K2101/00—Articles made by soldering, welding or cutting
    • B23K2101/02—Honeycomb structures
    • B—PERFORMING OPERATIONS; TRANSPORTING
    • B23—MACHINE TOOLS; METAL-WORKING NOT OTHERWISE PROVIDED FOR
    • B23K—SOLDERING OR UNSOLDERING; WELDING; CLADDING OR PLATING BY SOLDERING OR WELDING; CUTTING BY APPLYING HEAT LOCALLY, e.g. FLAME CUTTING; WORKING BY LASER BEAM
    • B23K2103/00—Materials to be soldered, welded or cut
    • B23K2103/08—Non-ferrous metals or alloys
    • B23K2103/10—Aluminium or alloys thereof

Definitions

  • the present invention relates to honeycomb structures, methods of forming honeycomb structures, and methods of joining aluminium or aluminium alloy bodies .
  • Honeycomb structures are often used in engineering applications which require a combination of lightness and strength. This lightness and strength derives from the arrangement of hollow honeycomb cells which are spaced from each other by relatively thin cell walls. A common cell shape is the hexagonal cross-section cylinder, but other shapes are also used. Typical applications for honeycomb structures include aluminium honeycombs for forming the cores of vehicle body panels, and energy absorbing crash-test barriers .
  • a conventional method of forming the honeycomb involves spacing stacked foils of aluminium with staggered parallel arrays of lines of resin adhesive. The adhesive is set and the stack of foils is then stretched in a direction perpendicular to the plane of the foils to form the honeycomb by deformation of the foils. The cells of the honeycomb are expanded during the stretching process, but the foils are prevented from separating by the lines of adhesive.
  • the present invention provides an alternative method of producing a honeycomb structure which removes the need for using resin adhesive, while retaining the possibility of machining a stack of foils in a non- expanded state.
  • the method includes the steps of i) forming arrays of spaced, parallel lines of solder on respective foils, ii) stacking the foils so that each pair of adjacent foils is separated by an array of solder lines, and the lines of solder of each pair of adjacent arrays are aligned parallel with each other but are staggered in the direction transverse to the lines, iii) heating and pressing the stack of foils to cure the solder, and iv) stretching the stack of foils in a direction perpendicular to the planes of the foils to produce a honeycomb structure of deformed foils joined at regions of cured solder.
  • soldder and “soldering” are to be understood as including also “brazes” and "brazing”.
  • This provides the user of structural honeycombs with an alternative type of bond having different characteristics from resin adhesive.
  • the physical, mechanical and chemical properties of soldered joints differ significantly from adhesively bonded joints, which may make the former more suitable in particular applications.
  • soldering involves printing solder and flux to those areas of the substrate (in this case the foils) where a solder bond is to be made.
  • beads of adhesive are formed on the foils and controlled spreading under pressure of those beads produces the bonded areas. Control of the adhesive spreading is critical and difficult, and adhesively bonded honeycombs are usually (undesirably) to a certain extent irregular because of the difficulty of controlling adhesive spreading.
  • solder printing and curing is more precisely controllable, so that a more regular honeycomb can be formed.
  • the material of honeycomb foils is aluminium or aluminium alloy.
  • the foils are preferably coated, for example by nickel electroplating or electrolyte-less plating, before the formation of the arrays of solder on the foils. If the material of the foils is electrically non-conductive, the bonding interface for the solder joints may be promoted by plasma coating (sputtering) the foils with material from an appropriate target .
  • the present invention also encompasses a honeycomb structure formed using the above-men ioned method.
  • the present invention provides a method of joining an aluminium or aluminium alloy body to another body including the steps of: i) coating a surface of the aluminium or aluminium alloy body by nickel electroplating or nickel electrolyte-less plating, and ii) joining the bodies by soldering the nickel plated surface of the aluminium or aluminium alloy body to a surface of the other body.
  • both bodies are of aluminium or aluminium alloy, and the joining surfaces of both bodies are coated by nickel electroplating or nickel electrolyte-less plating.
  • one or both of the bodies is a foil.
  • Fig. 1 shows schematically a stack of aluminium foils interleaved with printed lines of solder and flux
  • Fig. 2 shows schematically a honeycomb formed by expanding the stack of Fig. 1.
  • Fig. 1 shows schematically a side view of a stack of foils 1 interleaved with arrays of solder (e.g. lead-tin solder) and flux which have been formed by flow soldering spaced, parallel lines 2 of solder and flux on one side of each foil 1.
  • the foils 1 are of aluminium alloy, each foil first coated with a strike of copper and then provided with a thin layer of electroplated nickel.
  • the electroplating may be conveniently performed by placing each foil in aqueous nickel sulphate solution electrolyte and supplying a 5- 7 volt DC potential between the foil and a nickel electrode .
  • the foils are stacked so that each pair of foils is separated by an array of solder lines 2 and all the lines of solder in the stack are parallel to each other. However, the lines of solder in one layer are staggered in relation to the adjacent layers.
  • the stack is placed in a hot press and pressure is applied to the two outermost foils la, lb while simultaneously the stack is heated so that the solder in each line 2 flows sideways in a controlled fashion. Upon cooling the solder solidifies and joins adjacent aluminium foils 1 together. The stack of foils can then be machined if desired.
  • the stack is stretched (indicated by the arrows in Fig. 2) by pulling apart on the outermost foils la and lb. This expands the stack to form a honeycomb structure having cells 3.
  • Each cell is formed from two adjacent foils, and has two opposing walls 4 of double thickness formed by a foil -solder- foil sandwich.

Landscapes

  • Engineering & Computer Science (AREA)
  • Mechanical Engineering (AREA)
  • Laminated Bodies (AREA)

Abstract

A method of producing a honeycomb structure includes the steps of: i) forming arrays of spaced, parallel lines of solder on respective foils, ii) stacking the foils so that each pair of adjacent foils is separated by an array of solder lines, and the lines of solder of each pair of adjacent arrays are aligned parallel with each other but are staggered in the direction transverse to the lines, iii) heating and pressing the stack of foils to cure the solder, and iv) stretching the stack of foils in a direction perpendicular to the planes of the foils to produce a honeycomb structure of deformed foils joined at regions of cured solder.

Description

HONEYCOMB STRUCTURE, METHOD OF FORMING A HONEYCOMB STRUCTURE AND METHOD OF JOINING ALUMINIUM OR ALUMINIUM ALLOY BODIES
The present invention relates to honeycomb structures, methods of forming honeycomb structures, and methods of joining aluminium or aluminium alloy bodies .
Honeycomb structures are often used in engineering applications which require a combination of lightness and strength. This lightness and strength derives from the arrangement of hollow honeycomb cells which are spaced from each other by relatively thin cell walls. A common cell shape is the hexagonal cross-section cylinder, but other shapes are also used. Typical applications for honeycomb structures include aluminium honeycombs for forming the cores of vehicle body panels, and energy absorbing crash-test barriers . When the honeycomb is of deformable material, such as aluminium, a conventional method of forming the honeycomb involves spacing stacked foils of aluminium with staggered parallel arrays of lines of resin adhesive. The adhesive is set and the stack of foils is then stretched in a direction perpendicular to the plane of the foils to form the honeycomb by deformation of the foils. The cells of the honeycomb are expanded during the stretching process, but the foils are prevented from separating by the lines of adhesive.
The present invention provides an alternative method of producing a honeycomb structure which removes the need for using resin adhesive, while retaining the possibility of machining a stack of foils in a non- expanded state. The method includes the steps of i) forming arrays of spaced, parallel lines of solder on respective foils, ii) stacking the foils so that each pair of adjacent foils is separated by an array of solder lines, and the lines of solder of each pair of adjacent arrays are aligned parallel with each other but are staggered in the direction transverse to the lines, iii) heating and pressing the stack of foils to cure the solder, and iv) stretching the stack of foils in a direction perpendicular to the planes of the foils to produce a honeycomb structure of deformed foils joined at regions of cured solder. The terms "solder" and "soldering" are to be understood as including also "brazes" and "brazing".
A significant advance over the conventional method of forming honeycomb structure using resin adhesive, is the use in the present invention of solder to bond the foils. This provides the user of structural honeycombs with an alternative type of bond having different characteristics from resin adhesive. In other words, the physical, mechanical and chemical properties of soldered joints differ significantly from adhesively bonded joints, which may make the former more suitable in particular applications.
Furthermore, the technology to form solder on substrates is well established, e.g. in the electronics industry where "flow soldering" is often used. This technology is well understood and is readily adaptable for use in the present invention. Flow soldering involves printing solder and flux to those areas of the substrate (in this case the foils) where a solder bond is to be made. In the conventional adhesive bonding method, on the other hand, beads of adhesive are formed on the foils and controlled spreading under pressure of those beads produces the bonded areas. Control of the adhesive spreading is critical and difficult, and adhesively bonded honeycombs are usually (undesirably) to a certain extent irregular because of the difficulty of controlling adhesive spreading. However, solder printing and curing is more precisely controllable, so that a more regular honeycomb can be formed.
Typically, the material of honeycomb foils is aluminium or aluminium alloy. In order to promote bonding of the solder to aluminium, the foils are preferably coated, for example by nickel electroplating or electrolyte-less plating, before the formation of the arrays of solder on the foils. If the material of the foils is electrically non-conductive, the bonding interface for the solder joints may be promoted by plasma coating (sputtering) the foils with material from an appropriate target .
The present invention also encompasses a honeycomb structure formed using the above-men ioned method.
In a further aspect, the present invention provides a method of joining an aluminium or aluminium alloy body to another body including the steps of: i) coating a surface of the aluminium or aluminium alloy body by nickel electroplating or nickel electrolyte-less plating, and ii) joining the bodies by soldering the nickel plated surface of the aluminium or aluminium alloy body to a surface of the other body.
Preferably both bodies are of aluminium or aluminium alloy, and the joining surfaces of both bodies are coated by nickel electroplating or nickel electrolyte-less plating.
More preferably one or both of the bodies is a foil.
The present invention will now be described in relation to a specific embodiment and with reference to the following figures in which:
Fig. 1 shows schematically a stack of aluminium foils interleaved with printed lines of solder and flux; and
Fig. 2 shows schematically a honeycomb formed by expanding the stack of Fig. 1. Fig. 1 shows schematically a side view of a stack of foils 1 interleaved with arrays of solder (e.g. lead-tin solder) and flux which have been formed by flow soldering spaced, parallel lines 2 of solder and flux on one side of each foil 1. The foils 1 are of aluminium alloy, each foil first coated with a strike of copper and then provided with a thin layer of electroplated nickel. The electroplating may be conveniently performed by placing each foil in aqueous nickel sulphate solution electrolyte and supplying a 5- 7 volt DC potential between the foil and a nickel electrode .
The foils are stacked so that each pair of foils is separated by an array of solder lines 2 and all the lines of solder in the stack are parallel to each other. However, the lines of solder in one layer are staggered in relation to the adjacent layers.
The stack is placed in a hot press and pressure is applied to the two outermost foils la, lb while simultaneously the stack is heated so that the solder in each line 2 flows sideways in a controlled fashion. Upon cooling the solder solidifies and joins adjacent aluminium foils 1 together. The stack of foils can then be machined if desired.
Finally, the stack is stretched (indicated by the arrows in Fig. 2) by pulling apart on the outermost foils la and lb. This expands the stack to form a honeycomb structure having cells 3. Each cell is formed from two adjacent foils, and has two opposing walls 4 of double thickness formed by a foil -solder- foil sandwich.

Claims

CLAIMS :
1. A method of producing a honeycomb structure including the steps of i) forming arrays of spaced, parallel lines of solder on respective foils, ii) stacking the foils so that each pair of adjacent foils is separated by an array of solder lines, and the lines of solder of each pair of adjacent arrays are aligned parallel with each other but are staggered in the direction transverse to the lines, iii) heating and pressing the stack of foils to cure the solder, and iv) stretching the stack of foils in a direction perpendicular to the planes of the foils to produce a honeycomb structure of deformed foils joined at regions of cured solder.
2. A method according to claim 1, in which the foils are of aluminium or aluminium alloy.
3. A method according to claim 1 or 2 , in which the foils are coated by nickel electroplating or nickel electrolyte-less plating before step i) .
4. A method according to claim 1, in which the foils are sputter coated before step i) .
5. A honeycomb structure formed using any one of the methods of claims 1 to 4.
6. A method of joining an aluminium or aluminium alloy body to another body including the steps of i) coating a surface of the aluminium or aluminium alloy body by nickel electroplating or nickel electrolyte-less plating, and ii) joining the bodies by soldering the nickel plated surface of the aluminium or aluminium alloy body to a surface of the other body.
7. A method according to claim 6, in which the other body is of aluminium or aluminium alloy, and including the step of coating the joining surface of the other body by nickel electroplating or nickel electrolyte-less plating.
8. A method according to claim 6 or 7, in which one or both of the bodies is a foil.
PCT/GB1999/004130 1998-12-09 1999-12-09 Honeycomb structure, method of forming a honeycomb structure and method of joining aluminium or aluminium alloy bodies Ceased WO2000033997A1 (en)

Applications Claiming Priority (2)

Application Number Priority Date Filing Date Title
GB9827114.1 1998-12-09
GBGB9827114.1A GB9827114D0 (en) 1998-12-09 1998-12-09 Honeycomb structure and method of forming a honeycomb structure

Publications (1)

Publication Number Publication Date
WO2000033997A1 true WO2000033997A1 (en) 2000-06-15

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GB (1) GB9827114D0 (en)
WO (1) WO2000033997A1 (en)

Cited By (5)

* Cited by examiner, † Cited by third party
Publication number Priority date Publication date Assignee Title
WO2009122178A1 (en) * 2008-04-04 2009-10-08 Gordon Murray Design Limited Vehicle chassis
CN107214388A (en) * 2017-07-28 2017-09-29 镇江市天通新材料科技有限公司 A kind of preparation method of aluminum honeycomb panel
CN107214389A (en) * 2017-07-28 2017-09-29 镇江市天通新材料科技有限公司 The preparation method and equipment of a kind of aluminum honeycomb panel
CN109175569A (en) * 2018-11-08 2019-01-11 中国航空制造技术研究院 A kind of preparation method of metal honeycomb core body
CN115889963A (en) * 2022-12-30 2023-04-04 郑州机械研究所有限公司 A kind of low temperature diffusion welding honeycomb core and its preparation method

Citations (5)

* Cited by examiner, † Cited by third party
Publication number Priority date Publication date Assignee Title
US2920385A (en) * 1956-02-08 1960-01-12 Borg Warner Process of bonding carbon to aluminum
GB836162A (en) * 1957-09-02 1960-06-01 Roe A V & Co Ltd Improvements relating to the production of steel honeycomb cores
US4270986A (en) * 1979-07-12 1981-06-02 Sifco Industries, Inc. Method for soldering aluminum
JPS59179265A (en) * 1983-03-30 1984-10-11 Sumitomo Light Metal Ind Ltd Production of honeycomb core made of aluminum
JPS6448697A (en) * 1987-08-17 1989-02-23 Showa Aircraft Ind Production of honeycomb core

Patent Citations (5)

* Cited by examiner, † Cited by third party
Publication number Priority date Publication date Assignee Title
US2920385A (en) * 1956-02-08 1960-01-12 Borg Warner Process of bonding carbon to aluminum
GB836162A (en) * 1957-09-02 1960-06-01 Roe A V & Co Ltd Improvements relating to the production of steel honeycomb cores
US4270986A (en) * 1979-07-12 1981-06-02 Sifco Industries, Inc. Method for soldering aluminum
JPS59179265A (en) * 1983-03-30 1984-10-11 Sumitomo Light Metal Ind Ltd Production of honeycomb core made of aluminum
JPS6448697A (en) * 1987-08-17 1989-02-23 Showa Aircraft Ind Production of honeycomb core

Non-Patent Citations (2)

* Cited by examiner, † Cited by third party
Title
PATENT ABSTRACTS OF JAPAN vol. 009, no. 038 (M - 358) 19 February 1985 (1985-02-19) *
PATENT ABSTRACTS OF JAPAN vol. 013, no. 237 (M - 833) 5 June 1989 (1989-06-05) *

Cited By (7)

* Cited by examiner, † Cited by third party
Publication number Priority date Publication date Assignee Title
WO2009122178A1 (en) * 2008-04-04 2009-10-08 Gordon Murray Design Limited Vehicle chassis
US9211914B2 (en) 2008-04-04 2015-12-15 Gordon Murray Design Limited Vehicle chassis
CN107214388A (en) * 2017-07-28 2017-09-29 镇江市天通新材料科技有限公司 A kind of preparation method of aluminum honeycomb panel
CN107214389A (en) * 2017-07-28 2017-09-29 镇江市天通新材料科技有限公司 The preparation method and equipment of a kind of aluminum honeycomb panel
CN107214388B (en) * 2017-07-28 2020-02-07 镇江市天通新材料科技有限公司 Preparation method of aluminum honeycomb panel
CN109175569A (en) * 2018-11-08 2019-01-11 中国航空制造技术研究院 A kind of preparation method of metal honeycomb core body
CN115889963A (en) * 2022-12-30 2023-04-04 郑州机械研究所有限公司 A kind of low temperature diffusion welding honeycomb core and its preparation method

Also Published As

Publication number Publication date
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