Influence of Curing Regimen on the Distortion of a Work-piece held by a Hybrid PAAW Fixture☆

Abstract The formation of adhesive joints between a work-piece and grippers provides an effective means of stiffening compliant work-piece regions. However if the grippers are anchored in the fixture, the residual stresses that result from adhesive shrinkage can significantly distort the work-piece regions they are intended to support. This research shows that distortion is heavily influenced by curing regimen. When adhesive joints are cured sequentially, the order in which adhesive joints are cured can be manipulated to minimize the distortion at various regions as well as minimize the maximum distortion for the overall region. Curing order also heavily influences the residual forces in the adhesive joints while simultaneously not affecting system compliance. Curing the adhesive joints simultaneously neither leads to the maximum distortion for a system nor the minimum.