Failure Evaluation of Hybrid Joints using Taguchi Method

The structural joints for various applications like automobile, aero planes, ships etc. used mechanical fasteners or adhesives for joining purpose. The mechanical fastener increases the weight of the joints and the adhesives have a catastrophic failure nature. So to reduce the overall weight of the joint and avoid the catastrophic failure of the joint, Hybrid Joint, which is the combination of the two methods (Bolts and adhesives) is used. The Analytical Hierarchal process (AHP) is used to select the parameters that affect the performance of the joint. The selected parameters were bolt size, tightening torque, bolt hole clearance, adhesive type, adhesive thickness, overlap length and joint material and the response variables were failure load and displacement The optimum parameters were selected by using Taguchi analysis with L27 orthogonal array experimental design. The significant parameters were found to be Adhesive type, Adhesive thickness and Joint Material.