Stiffness check and deformation control of composite honeycomb sandwich structures in bonding process

To address the deformation and crushing issues of components (honeycomb cores, foam interlayers, and laminates) caused by adhesive bonding pressure during the manufacturing of honeycomb sandwich composites, this study establishes a finite element model for stiffness verification. The model’s validity was confirmed through comparative analysis between simulation results and experimental data. Utilizing the stiffness verification model, the study systematically investigated the influences of honeycomb density, segmentation patterns, core orientation, sandwich configurations, and bonding pressure on deformation behavior. The research shows that honeycomb density (56–80 kg/m 3 ) has little effect on deformation and crushing behavior. Bonding pressure (0.1–0.3 MPa) shows a significant linear positive correlation with maximum deformation. The process skin technology can reduce the maximum deformation from 46.7 mm to 0.3 mm. Based on the model, the structural optimization and process parameter adjustment of a product were guided, finally controlling the bonding deformation from 46.7 mm to 0.27 mm, with a relative reduction of 99.4%, fully meeting the engineering accuracy requirements.