De-bonding Stainless Steel/Carbon Fiber Assemblies

A client came to THE LAB at Ambrell with an application that involved separating bonded stainless steel/carbon fiber assemblies by heating tang, which softens the adhesive bond. THE LAB at Ambrell determined that an Ambrell EASYHEAT^TM 2 kW, 150-400 kHz solid state induction heating power supply would work well for this debonding application along with a workhead and coil specifically designed for this application. The assembly needed to be heated to 300 ºF (149 ºC) at 200 kHz.

Initial tests were conducted to optimize the power delivered to the assembly. The bonded part was placed within the helical coil and the induction power was then applied. Once the metal tang had been warmed, the adhesive bond with the carbon-fiber insert was weakened enough to separate the two sections. The debonding application was successfully completed and it achieved the client's time and quality objectives. 

There were several benefits to switching to induction heating for this debonding application. Induction is more environmentally friendly as it wasn't necessary to use noxious chemicals. Induction also helped reduce the process time thanks to the direct application of heat. Finally, it increased process efficiency as only the tang was heated.

If you have an application that might benefit from free parts testing, contact THE LAB to take advantage of this service from our knowledgeable applications team. Additionally, we have Virtual Lab Service so you can observe testing live from your office. And, whether you choose Virtual Lab Service or not, we'll always send you a video and lab report after testing so you can assess the results.