Engineering topics

Bales, T. T.

Publications and source records attributed to Bales, T. T..

At least 19 records

NASA NTRS1990

Advanced fabrication technology for high speed aircraft structures

An overview of the development of the weld-brazing process for fabricating Ti-6Al-4V skin-stiffened panels, a brazing process for fabricating Bsc/Al titanium honeycomb core panels, and the enhanced diffusion bonding (EDB) process for fabricating Ti-14Al-21Nb titanium aluminide structural elements are presented. Data presented include the shear strengths of full-scale weldbrazed Ti-6Al-4V skin stiffened and Bsc/Al titanium honeycomb core sandwich panels designed to meet the requirements of an upper wing panel on the NASA YF-12. These results verified that the materials, fabrication processes, and structural concepts were qualified for Mach 3 flight. Shear strengths of each of the panel concepts following flight service evaluation are also reported. Comparisons made with the cost and weight of the original wing panel indicated that the weldbrazed titanium panels resulted in a 15-20 percent cost savings and the brazed Bsc/Al panel showed a 30 percent weight savings. It was also shown that the strengths of the EDB joints were sufficient to develop stresses in the Ti-14Al-21Nb face sheets of the sandwich structure which were above the yield strength of the material.

Bales, T. T.↗

NASA NTRS1990

Fabrication of structural components from commercial aluminum alloys using superplastic forming

SPF technology was used to fabricate structural components from the 7475 Al and 8090 Al-Li commercial alloys. Gas-pressurization cycles were established for SPF three-hat stiffener configurations on the basis of uniaxial data and component-geometry considerations. It is established that higher forming rates than the optimum strain rates selected from the uniaxial data for each alloy could be used in the later stages of forming without reducing SPF components' dimensional conformity. Cavitation was precluded through the use of back pressure during forming.

Hales, S. J.↗

NASA NTRS1989

Fabrication and evaluation of enhanced diffusion bonded titanium honeycomb core sandwich panels with titanium aluminide face sheets

A joining process was developed for fabricating lightweight, high temperature sandwich panels for aerospace applications using Ti-14Al-21Nb face sheets and Ti-3Al-2.5V honeycomb core. The process, termed Enhanced Diffusion Bonding (EDB), relies on the formation of a eutectic liquid through solid-state diffusion at elevated temperatures and isothermal solidification to produce joints in thin-gage titanium and titanium aluminide structural components. A technique employing a maskant on the honeycomb core was developed which permitted electroplating a controlled amount of EDB material only on the edges of the honeycomb core in order to minimize the structural weight and metallurgical interaction effects. Metallurgical analyses were conducted to determine the interaction effects between the EDB materials and the constituents of the sandwich structure following EDB processing. The initial mechanical evaluation was conducted with butt joint specimens tested at temperatures from 1400 - 1700 F. Further mechanical evaluation was conducted with EDB sandwich specimens using flatwise tension tests at temperatures from 70 - 1100 F and edgewise compression tests at ambient temperature.

Hoffmann, E. K.↗

NASA NTRS1985

Fabrication and evaluation of superplastically formed/weld-brazed corrugated compression panels with beaded webs

A study was made to investigate the feasibility of superplastically forming corrugated panels with beaded webs and to demonstrate the structural integrity of these panels by testing. The test panels in the study consist of superplastically formed titanium alloy Ti-6Al-4V half-hat elements that are joined by weld-brazing to titanium alloy Ti-6Al-4V caps to form either single-corrugation compression panels or multiple-corrugation compression panels. Stretching and subsequent thinning of the titanium sheet during superplastic forming is reduced by approximately 35 percent with a shallow half-hat die concept instead of a deep die concept and results in a more uniform thickness across the beaded webs. The complete panels are tested in end compression at room temperature and the results compared with analysis. The heavily loaded panels failed at loads approaching the yield strength of the titanium material. At maximum load, the caps wrinkled locally accompanied with separation of the weld-braze joint in the wrinkle. None of the panels tested, however, failed catastrophically in the weld-braze joint. Experimental test results are in good agreement with structural analysis of the panels.

Royster, D. M.↗

NASA NTRS1985

Evaluation of Superplastic Forming and Weld-brazing for Fabrication of Titanium Compression Panels

The two titanium processing procedures, superplastic forming and weld brazing, are successfully combined to fabricate titanium skin stiffened structural panels. Stiffeners with complex shapes are superplastically formed using simple tooling. These stiffeners are formed to the desired configuration and required no additional sizing or shaping following removal from the mold. The weld brazing process by which the stiffeners are attached to the skins utilize spot welds to maintain alignment and no additional tooling is required for brazing. The superplastic formed/weld brazed panels having complex shaped stiffeners develop up to 60 percent higher buckling strengths than panels with conventional shaped stiffeners. The superplastic forming/weld brazing process is successfully scaled up to fabricate full size panels having multiple stiffeners. The superplastic forming/weld brazing process is also successfully refined to show its potential for fabricating multiple stiffener compression panels employing unique stiffener configurations for improved structural efficiency.

Royster, D. M.↗

NASA NTRS1984

Curved cap corrugated sheet

The report describes a structure for a strong, lightweight corrugated sheet. The sheet is planar or curved and includes a plurality of corrugation segments, each segment being comprised of a generally U-shaped corrugation with a part-cylindrical crown and cap strip, and straight side walls and with secondary corrugations oriented at right angles to said side walls. The cap strip is bonded to the crown and the longitudinal edge of said cap strip extends beyond edge at the intersection between said crown and said side walls. The high strength relative to weight of the structure makes it desirable for use in aircraft or spacecraft.

Davis, R. C.↗

NASA NTRS1983

Metal matrix composite structural panel construction

Lightweight capped honeycomb stiffeners for use in fabricating metal or metal/matrix exterior structural panels on aerospace type vehicles and the process for fabricating same are disclosed. The stiffener stringers are formed in sheets, cut to the desired width and length and brazed in spaced relationship to a skin with the honeycomb material serving directly as the required lightweight stiffeners and not requiring separate metal encasement for the exposed honeycomb cells.

Mcwithey, R. R.↗

NASA NTRS1983

Fabrication and evaluation of cold/formed/weldbrazed beta-titanium skin-stiffened compression panels

The room temperature and elevated temperature buckling behavior of cold formed beta titanium hat shaped stiffeners joined by weld brazing to alpha-beta titanium skins was determined. A preliminary set of single stiffener compression panels were used to develop a data base for material and panel properties. These panels were tested at room temperature and 316 C (600 F). A final set of multistiffener compression panels were fabricated for room temperature tests by the process developed in making the single stiffener panels. The overall geometrical dimensions for the multistiffener panels were determined by the structural sizing computer code PASCO. The data presented from the panel tests include load shortening curves, local buckling strengths, and failure loads. Experimental buckling loads are compared with the buckling loads predicted by the PASCO code. Material property data obtained from tests of ASTM standard dogbone specimens are also presented.

Royster, D. M.↗

NASA NTRS1983

Curved Caps Raise Corrugation Strength

Construction concept increases strength-to-weight ratio of corrugated panels. Flat caps are replaced by curved caps in new concept for constructing corrugated panels. Geometry utilizes curved cap for wider cap/web attachment. Beading web prevents local buckling in web while allowing maximum separation between cap strips. Geometry offers significant weight saving over conventional geometry for wide range of loading.

Davis, R. C.↗

NASA NTRS1983

Elevated temperature behavior of superplastically formed/weld-brazed titanium compression panels having advanced shaped stiffeners

The 316 C (600 F) buckling behavior of superplastically formed/weld-brazed titanium compression panels having advanced shaped stiffeners was investigated. Fabrication of the advanced shaped stiffeners was made possible by the increased formability afforded by the superplasticity characteristics of the titanium alloy Ti-6Al-4V. Stiffeners having the configurations of a conventional hat, a beaded web, a modified beaded web, a ribbed web, and a stepped web were investigated. The data from the panel tests include load-shortening curves, local buckling strengths, and failure loads. The superplastic formed/weld-brazed panels with the ribbed web and stepped web stiffeners developed 25 and 27 percent higher buckling strengths at 316 C (600 F) than panels with conventionally shaped stiffeners. The buckling load reductions for panels tested at 316 C (600 F), compared with panels tested at room temperature, were in agreement with predictions based on titanium material property data. The advantage that higher buckling loads can be readily achieved by superplastically forming of advanced stiffener shapes was demonstrated. Application of these advanced stiffener shapes offers the potential to achieve substantial weight savings in aerospace vehicles.

Royster, D. M.↗

NASA NTRS1982

"Sandwich" Stiffener for Composite Structural Panels

Concept uses commercial titanium honeycomb core brazed to cap material and panel skin. In fabrication of stringers, large sheets of cap material are brazed to pieces of honeycomb core of desired height. After brazing, individual stringers are cut by electrical-discharge machining, and stringers are subsequently brazed to skin. Sandwich beam stringer is light-weight, structurally-efficient, low-cost stiffener for metal-matrix composite structural panels.

Mcwithey, R. R.↗

NASA NTRS1982

Superplastic forming/weld-brazing of titanium skin-stiffened compression panels

A study was conducted to exploit the processing advantages of superplastic forming and weld-brazing for the fabrication of titanium skin-stiffened structural components. Small titanium compression panels were fabricated and tested at room temperature. Stiffeners having configurations of a conventional hat shape, beaded shaped web, ribbed shaped web, or stepped shaped web were investigated. The data from the panel tests included load-shortening curves, local buckling strengths, and failure loads. Experimental buckling loads were compared with buckling loads calculated using a finite-element analysis. The superplastic formed/weld-brazed panels having complex shaped stiffeners developed from 20 to 58 percent higher local buckling strengths than panels with conventionally shaped stiffeners.

Royster, D. M.↗

NASA NTRS1980

Fabrication and evaluation of brazed titanium-clad borsic/aluminum skin-stringer panels

A successful brazing process was developed and evaluated for fabricating full-scale titanium-clad Borsic/aluminum skin-stringer panels. A panel design was developed consisting of a hybrid composite skin reinforced with capped honeycomb-core stringers. Six panels were fabricated for inclusion in the program which included laboratory testing of panels at ambient temperatures and 533 K (500 F) and flight service evaluation on the NASA Mach 3 YF-12 airplane. All panels tested met or exceeded stringent design requirements and no deleterious effects on panel properties were detected followng flight service evaluation on the YF-12 airplane.

Bales, T. T.↗

NASA NTRS1980

Fabrication and evaluation of brazed titanium-clad Borsic/aluminum compression panels

Processes for brazing Borsic/aluminum composite materials that eliminate diffusion of braze alloy constituents into the aluminum matrix developed. One brazing study led to the development of a hybrid composite which combines high strength Borsic/aluminum and ductile titanium to form a material identified as titanium clad Borsic/aluminum. The titanium foil provides the Borsic/aluminum with a durable outer surface and serves as a diffusion barrier which alleviates fiber and matrix degradation during brazing. Titanium clad Borsic/aluminum skin panels were joined to titanium clad Borsic/aluminum stringers by brazing and were tested in end compression at room and elevated temperatures. The data include failure strength, buckling strength, and the effects of brazing on the material properties. Predicted buckling loads are compared with experimental data.

Royster, D. M.↗

NASA NTRS1979

Fabrication research for supersonic cruise aircraft

Advanced fabrication and joining processes for titanium and composite materials are being investigated by NASA to develop technology for the Supersonic Cruise Research (SCR) Program. Full-scale structural panels are being designed and fabricated to meet the criteria of an existing integrally stiffened shear panel on the upper wing surface of the NASA YF-12 aircraft. The program consists of laboratory testing and Mach 3 flight service of full-scale structural panels and laboratory testing of representative structural element specimens. Borsic/aluminum honeycomb-core, titanium clad Borsic/aluminum skin-stringer, graphite/PMR-15 polyimide honeycomb-core, and titanium superplastically formed/diffusion bonded panels have been designed, fabricated, and tested. Graphite/LARC-160 polyimide skin-stringer panels have been designed, and fabrication methods are being developed.

Hoffman, E. L.↗

NASA NTRS1978

Brazed boron-silicon carbide/aluminum structural panels

Fluxless brazing process minimizes degradation of mechanical properties composite material of silicon carbide coated boron fibers in an aluminum matrix. Process is being used to fabricate full-scale Boron-Silicon Carbide/Aluminum-Titanium honeycomb core panels for flight testing and ground testing.

Arnold, W. E., Jr.↗

NASA NTRS1977

Brazed Borsic/aluminum structural panels

A fluxless brazing process has been developed that minimizes degradation of the mechanical properties of Borsic/aluminum composites. The process, which employs 718 aluminum alloy braze, is being used to fabricate full scale Borsic/aluminum-titanium honeycomb-core panels for Mach 3 flight testing on the YF-12 aircraft and ground testing in support of the Supersonic Cruise Aircraft Research (SCAR) Program. The manufacturing development and results of shear tests on full scale panels are presented.

Bales, T. T.↗

NASA NTRS1976

Fabrication and evaluation of advanced titanium and composite structural panels

Advanced manufacturing methods for titanium and composite material structures are being developed and evaluated. The focus for the manufacturing effort is the fabrication of full-scale structural panels which replace an existing shear panel on the upper wing surface of the NASA YF-12 aircraft. The program involves design, fabrication, ground testing, and Mach 3 flight service of full-scale structural panels and laboratory testing of representative structural element specimens.

Bales, T. T.↗