Tensile-Shear Strength of a Single-lap Adhesive Joint of PA6 GF Composite: Effects of Fiber Orientation and Moisture

Abstract

One of the main features of additive manufacturing is the ability to produce parts with complex geometries that would be difficult or impossible to produce with minimal waste using conventional manufacturing technologies. A more massive implementation of additive technologies makes it possible to shorten supply chains and reduce the need to store parts. The use of composite materials is massive nowadays, first of all in the lightweight design. The aim of this study is to analyze the influence of fiber orientation and moisture on the strength of single-lap adhesive joints of parts produced by additive manufacturing. The test samples (adherends) were produced using FDM (Fused Deposition Modeling) technology, PA6 GF composite material and two-component epoxy adhesive. Results showed that the average failure load tends to increase the higher the percentage of absorbed moisture in the base material. With the selected combination of material and adhesive, the influence of fiber orientation cannot be observed independently of the amount of moisture absorbed. The best results are achieved with the highest percentage of absorbed moisture and the orientation of the fibers in the direction of the longitudinal axis of the samples.