@article{Ding:2026:10.1016/j.compositesa.2026.110105,
author = {Ding, Z and Wang, H and Gao, C and Li, N},
doi = {10.1016/j.compositesa.2026.110105},
journal = {Composites Part A Applied Science and Manufacturing},
title = {A novel one-shot forming technology for ultra-high strength multi-material structures: Process design, simulation and proof of concept},
url = {http://dx.doi.org/10.1016/j.compositesa.2026.110105},
volume = {210},
year = {2026}
}

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TY  - JOUR
AB  - Fibre–metal laminates (FMLs) combining fibre-reinforced polymer (FRP) with ultra-high-strength steel (UHSS) are promising for high-performance multi-material structures, but their manufacture is limited. The forming temperature mismatch commonly necessitates separate forming and adhesive bonding, increasing cycle time, tooling complexity and recycling difficulty. This study introduces a novel one-shot forming process for UHSS-based FMLs. Separately heated FRP and UHSS blanks are stacked immediately before cold-die forming; the pre-cooled austenitised steel locally melts the adjacent FRP surface, while the remaining laminate forms predominantly in the solid state. The process enables concurrent forming, composite-metal bonding, and steel quench hardening. A U-shaped CF/PEEK–22MnB5 demonstrator was designed to validate the feasibility. A two-step simulation framework guided process-window selection by predicting through-thickness temperature evolution during stacking and inter-ply damage during forming. Preferred stacking temperatures of 280 °C for CF/PEEK and 520 °C for 22MnB5 were identified, consistent with forming trials. Under these conditions, the demonstrator exhibited good composite-metal bonding, minimal delamination and a 22MnB5 hardness of 453 HV10, corresponding to an ultimate tensile strength above 1400 MPa. Dimensional assessment showed good geometrical accuracy, although residual springback/spring-in indicated scope for further optimisation. The results demonstrate the feasibility of rapidly manufacturing UHSS-based FML components for larger-scale adoption.
AU  - Ding,Z
AU  - Wang,H
AU  - Gao,C
AU  - Li,N
DO  - 10.1016/j.compositesa.2026.110105
PY  - 2026///
SN  - 1359-835X
TI  - A novel one-shot forming technology for ultra-high strength multi-material structures: Process design, simulation and proof of concept
T2  - Composites Part A Applied Science and Manufacturing
UR  - http://dx.doi.org/10.1016/j.compositesa.2026.110105
VL  - 210
ER  - 

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