Engineering topics
Publications and source records attributed to Hulcher, A. Bruce.
An automated apparatus has been designed and constructed that enables the automated lay-up of composite structures incorporating films, foils, and adhesives during the automated fiber-placement process. This apparatus, denoted a film module, could be used to deposit materials in film or thin sheet form either simultaneously when laying down the fiber composite article or in an independent step.
This viewgraph presentation describes fiber placement technology which was originally developed by Marshall Space Flight Center (MSFC) for the fabrication of fiber composite propellant tanks. The presentation includes an image of the MSFC Fiber Placement Machine, which is a prototype test bed, and images of some of the machine's parts. Some possible applications for the machines are listed.
NASA's Marshall Space Flight Center (MSFC) has developed a technology that combines a film/adhesive laydown module with fiber placement technology to enable the processing of composite prepreg tow/tape and films, foils or adhesives on the same placement machine. The development of this technology grew out of NASA's need for lightweight, permeation-resistant cryogenic propellant tanks. Autoclave processing of high performance composites results in thermally-induced stresses due to differences in the coefficients of thermal expansion of the fiber and matrix resin components. These stresses, together with the reduction in temperature due to cryogen storage, tend to initiate microcracking within the composite tank wall. One way in which to mitigate this problem is to introduce a thin, crack-resistant polymer film or foil into the tank wall. Investigation into methods to automate the processing of thin film or foil materials into composites led to the development of this technology. The concept employs an automated film supply and feed module that may be designed to fit existing fiber placement machines, or may be designed as integral equipment to new machines. This patent-pending technology can be designed such that both film and foil materials may be processed simultaneously, leading to a decrease in part build cycle time. The module may be designed having a compaction device independent of the host machine, or may utilize the host machine's compactor. The film module functions are controlled by a dedicated system independent of the fiber placement machine controls. The film, foil, or adhesive is processed via pre-existing placement machine run programs, further reducing operational expense.
A conformable compaction system employing three individual compactors has been designed for integration into fiber placement and tape laying deposition heads for out-of-autoclave fabrication of thermoplastic contoured parts. The compactors are intended to perform against two geometry specifications: (1) a general minimum radius of curvature limit of 180cm (71-in), and (2) a pad-up specification with a maximum height of 2.5mm (0.1-in) and a minimum ramp of 2.5mm (1-in). The mirrored specification is applicable to a pan-down. The three designs include a hot line compactor capable of a 1000N (400-lb) force at 450C over a 114mm (4.5-in) width, a hot area compactor capable of a 400N (100-lb) force at 450C over a 114mm width by 76mm length (4.5-in by 3-in), and a cold compactor that combines the features of a line and an area compactor. The cold compactor s line segments act with a 2800N (700-lb) force across a 127mm (5-in) width, while the cold compactor's area segments act with a 1000N (250-lb) force over a 127mm by 102mm (5-in by 4-in) area. Two of the designs, the hot line and hot area compactors, have been constructed, developed, and proven out in hot mode to compact actual thermoplastic composite plies over undulating geometry. IM-7PEEK [0/90/0/90]s pan-down and IM-7PEEK [0/-45/90/45]2s pad-up laminates have been fabricated and photomicrographs show good microstructure.
The incorporation of thin discrete layers of resin between plies (interleafing) has been shown to improve fatigue and impact properties of structural composite materials. Furthermore, interleafing could be used to increase the barrier properties of composites used as structural materials for cryogenic propellant storage. In this work, robotic heated-head tape placement of PEEK/IM7 composites containing a PEEK polymer film interleaf was investigated. These experiments were carried out at the NASA Langley Research Center automated fiber placement facility. Using the robotic equipment, an optimal fabrication process was developed for the composite without the interleaf. Preliminary interleaf processing trials indicated that a two-stage process was necessary; the film had to be tacked to the partially-placed laminate then fully melted in a separate operation. Screening experiments determined the relative influence of the various robotic process variables on the peel strength of the film-composite interface. Optimization studies were performed in which peel specimens were fabricated at various compaction loads and roller temperatures at each of three film melt processing rates. The resulting data were fitted with quadratic response surfaces. Additional specimens were fabricated at placement parameters predicted by the response surface models to yield high peel strength in an attempt to gage the accuracy of the predicted response and assess the repeatability of the process. The overall results indicate that quality PEEK/lM7 laminates having film interleaves can be successfully and repeatability fabricated by heated head automated fiber placement.
Ply-by-ply in situ processes involving automated heated head deposition are being developed for fabrication of high performance, high temperature composite structures from low volatile content polymer matrices. This technology requires (1) dry carbon fiber towpreg, (2) consolidation of towpreg to quality, placement-grade unidirectional ribbon or tape, and (3) rapid, in situ, accurate, ply-by-ply robotic placement and consolidation of this material to fabricate a composite structure. In this study, the physical properties of a candidate thermoplastic ribbon, PIXA/IM7, were evaluated and screened for suitability in robotic placement. Specifically, towpreg was prepared from PIXA powder. Various conditions (temperatures) were used to convert the powder-coated towpreg to ribbons with varying degrees of processability. Ribbon within preset specifications was fabricated at 3 temperatures: 390, 400 and 410 C. Ribbon was also produced out-of-spec by purposely overheating the material to a processing temperature of 450 C. Automated placement equipment at Cincinnati Milacron and NASA Langley was used to fabricate laminates from these experimental ribbons. Ribbons were placed at 405 and 450 C by both sets of equipment. Double cantilever beam and wedge peel tests were used to determine the quality of the laminates and, especially, the interlaminar bond formed during the placement process. Ribbon made under conditions expected to be non-optimal (overheated) resulted in poor placeability and composites with weak interlaminar bond strengths, regardless of placement conditions. Ribbon made under conditions expected to be ideal showed good processability and produced well-consolidated laminates. Results were consistent from machine to machine and demonstrated the importance of ribbon quality in heated-head placement of dry material forms. Preliminary screening criteria for the development and evaluation of ribbon from new matrix materials were validated.
A laboratory study of magnetic induction heat bonding of titanium foil and graphite fiber reinforced polymer prepreg tape, TiGr, demonstrated that the process is a viable candidate for low cost fabrication of aircraft structure made of this new material form. Data were obtained on weld bonding of PIXA and PETI-5 prepreg to titanium. Both the foil and honeycomb forms of titanium were investigated. The process relies on magnetic susceptor heating of titanium, not on high frequency heating of graphite fiber. The experiments showed that with a toroid magnet configuration, good weld bonds might be obtained with heating times of a few seconds. These results suggest the potential is good for the induction heating process to achieve acceptable commercial production rates.