Method of manufacturing multi-material structures

Abstract

A method of manufacturing a multi-material structure (e.g. a fibre metal laminate) comprising a polymer-based layer (e.g. a fibre-reinforced polymer or fibre-reinforced thermoplastic) bonded to a metal layer, the method comprising: obtaining a polymer-based layer and a metal layer separate from one another; transferring the polymer-based layer and the metal layer to a tool and stacking the polymer-based layer and the metal layer, one on top of the other; using heat supplied before the stacking, providing a melted polymer layer at an interface between the polymer-based layer and the metal layer; and pressing together the polymer-based layer and the metal layer in the tool and allowing the melted polymer layer to cool and solidify; wherein the melted polymer layer bonds the polymer- based layer to the metal layer as it cools and solidifies, to produce the multi-material structure. Also provided is a multi-material structure manufactured by such a method.

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