ULTIMATE - Unconvensional Laser joining Technology for multI-MATErial products

"Multi-materials assemblies are designed and joined together to achieve the best performance for specific applications and specific working environments. These assemblies combine the advantages of each material into an advanced structure, capable of working in heterogeneous and harsh conditions. Dissimilar material assemblies are highly functional, save material resources and enable significant weight reduction, which is fundamental for breaking down fuel consumption and CO2 emissions (major targets for the transport industry).

However, joining metallurgically incompatible metal alloys or CFRP composites to metal alloys is challenging and often beyond the capacity of a conventional automated production processes. Currently, most challenging multi-materials assemblies are mechanically fastened and/or adhesive bonded. Limitations associated to using these two techniques include extra weight, cost and durability issues. These drawbacks limit the adoption of more advanced multi-material joining applications and reduce potential benefits of optimised designs.

Consequently, there is a clear need for new, flexible, cost-effective and rapid methods for joining dissimilar materials, capable of meeting industry performance and manufacturing demands. _ULTIMATE_ focuses on the development of an innovative technology to enable highly dissimilar materials to be fusion welded together using highly productive industrial processes. The _ULTIMATE_ project will primarily focus on dissimilar material combinations of interest to the transport sector, including dissimilar metallic materials, and composite to metallic material joints. Case studies and technology demonstrators will be produced for the aerospace and automotive sectors, although the technology has the potential to be highly versatile and applied to many different applications across other industry sectors."