SAFEJOINT · Enhancing structural efficiency through novel dissimilar material joining techniques

There is a high demand for the design of lightweight energy efficient structures for transport applications in order to meet CO2 emissions targets set worldwide. To achieve this designers have introduced the concept of “hybrid” structures where two or more lightweight materials are used each possessing unique properties that when joined together result in high performance lightweight structures that would not have been possible if a single material was used. This approach requires the development of joining techniques for materials with fundamentally different physical properties that will ensure the safe and reliable transfer of load between the constituent materials. SAFEJOINT addresses this challenge by developing novel techniques for metal to metal and metal to composite joining as well as developing novel techniques for the non-destructive inspection and evaluation of such joints in order to enhance confidence to designers and end-users of hybrid structures of their through life safe performance.