USE of adhesives to join metal skins to low-density cores results in major weight, manufacturing time, and cost savings, according to the authors.
They report here that such sandwich structures have been used in several projects, the most advanced being the B-61A Matador.
To achieve a bonded joint between two aluminum sheets or between sheet and core, four generally similar steps are required. The sheet must be cleaned, coated with adhesive, force-dried to remove volatile materials, and finally cured under temperature and pressure.
The authors conclude that production adhesive bonding of flat and contoured primary structures, with all its inherent advantages, is now available to the industry.