Applications
Dissimilar Metals
The solid-state nature of the ultrasonic bonding process used in UAM permits joining of dissimilar metals without the formation of brittle intermetallics as seen in fusion processes. A wide range of material combinations have been sucessfully bonded using ultrasonics. This unique ability allows for a series of useful engineering applications:
- Cladding – The layering of an expensive material onto a bulk substrate of a cheaper material.
- Embedding – The low temperature process allows embedding of all manner of wires, fibers, and sensors into a metallic susbstrate.
- Functionally Graded Laminates - Metal plates can be designed with through thickness property variation by grading the mixture of metals through thickness.
