Investigation of a polymer metal interlocking technology for use in loadbearing automotive components

Purpose The purpose of this paper is to propose and analyse computationally a new concept for mechanical interlocking between metal and plastics. The approach utilizes some of the ideas used in the spotclinching joining process and is appropriately named clinchlock polymer metal hybrid PMH technology. Designmethodologyapproach A new approach, the socalled directadhesion PMH technology, is recently proposed Grujicic et al. to help meet the needs of automotive original equipment manufacturers and their suppliers for a costeffective, robust, reliable PMH technology which can be used for the manufacturing of loadbearing bodyinwhite BIW components and which is compatible with the current BIW manufacturingprocess chain. Within this approach, the necessary level of polymertometal mechanical interconnectivity is attained through direct adhesion and mechanical interlocking. Findings In an attempt to fully assess the potential of the clinchlock approach for providing the required level of metalpolymer mechanical interlocking, a set of finiteelement based sheetmetal forming, injection molding and structural mechanics analyses is carried out. The results obtained show that stiffness and buckling resistance levels can be attained which are comparable with those observed in the competing injection overmolding PMH process but with an 3 percent lower weight of the polymer subcomponent and without the need for holes and for overmolding of the free edges of the metal stamping. Originalityvalue The paper presents a useful discussion of clinchlock joining technology's potential for fabrication of PMH loadbearing BIW components.