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Search indexed NASA NTRS and DOE OSTI research on propulsion, heat transfer, battery materials and energy systems. Follow report and document links to the original sources.
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Material clean, sets rapidly, and easy to use. Silicone elastomer, Citrocon or equivalent, commonly used in dentistry, in combination with mold-release agent (Also see MFS-29240), speeds and facilitates making of impressions of interior surfaces so surface contours examined. Elastomer easily moved around in cavity until required location found.
Minimum weight configurations for two types of graphite-epoxy hat-stiffened compression-loaded panels fabricated by the thermal-expansion-molding (TEM) manufacturing process were evaluated analytically and experimentally for designs with load index Nx/L values ranging from 100 to 800. The two types of panels contain graphite-epoxy face sheets with a foam core and hat stiffeners which are either open or filled with foam. Constraints on the extensional and shear stiffnesses are imposed on the design so that the panels will satisfy typical constraints for aircraft wing structures. Optimal structurally efficient TEM panels are compared to commercially available aluminum aircraft structures. Predicted load-strain relationships agree well with experimental results. Significant impact damage to the unstiffened face sheet and foam core does not noticeably reduce the load carrying ability of the panels, but damage to the stiffened face sheet reduces the failure load by 20 percent compared to unimpacted panels.
The influence on density and strength of pressureless sintering in vacuum and argon environments has been evaluated with injection molded SiC materials. Main effects and two factor interactions of sintering (cycle variables temperature, time, heating rate, and atmosphere) were assessed. An improved understanding of the influence of the processing flaws and sintering conditions has been obtained. Strength and density have improved from a baseline level of 299 MPa (43.3 Ksi) and 94 pct of theoretical density to values greater than 483 MPa (70 Ksi) and 97 pct.
Device used inside combustion chamber of complicated shape for nondestructive evaluation of qualities of welds, including such features as offset, warping, misalignment of parts, and dropthrough. Includes flexible polypropylene tray trimmed to fit desired interior surface contour. Two neodymium boron magnets and inflatable bladder attached to tray. Tray and putty inserted in cavity to make mold of interior surface.
The following is a laboratory experiment designed to further understanding of materials science. This subject material is directed at an upper level undergraduate/graduate student in an Engineering or Engineering Technology program. It is assumed that the student has a thorough understanding of the process and quality control. The format of this laboratory does not follow that which is normally recommended because of the nature of process capability and that of the injection molding equipment and tooling. This laboratory is instead developed to be used as a point of departure for determining process capability for any process in either a quality control laboratory or a manufacturing environment where control charts, process capability, and experimental or product design are considered important topics.
Resin Transfer Molding (RTM) has been identified by Douglas Aircraft Company (DAC) and industry to be one of the promising processes being developed today which can break the cost barrier of implementing composite primary structures into a commercial aircraft production environment. The RTM process developments and scale-up plans Douglas Aircrart will be conducting under the NASA ACT contract are discussed.
A model was developed which can be used to simulate infiltration and cure of textile composites by resin transfer molding. Fabric preforms were resin infiltrated and cured using model generated optimized one-step infiltration/cure protocols. Frequency dependent electromagnetic sensing (FDEMS) was used to monitor in situ resin infiltration and cure during processing. FDEMS measurements of infiltration time, resin viscosity, and resin degree of cure agreed well with values predicted by the simulation model. Textile composites fabricated using a one-step infiltration/cure procedure were uniformly resin impregnated and void free. Fiber volume fraction measurements by the resin digestion method compared well with values predicted using the model.
Designed to cover a wide range of resin technology and to meet the near-term and long-term needs of the aircraft industry, this research has three objectives: to produce resin transfer molding (RES) resins with improved processability, to produce prepreg systems with high toughness and service temperature, and to produce new resin systems. Progress on reaching the objectives is reported.
The design and manufacture of textile composite panels, tubes, and angle sections that were provided to NASA for testing and evaluation are documented. The textile preform designs and requirements were established by NASA in collaboration with Boeing and several vendors of textile reinforcements. The following four types of preform architectures were used: stitched uniweave, 2D-braids, 3D-braids, and interlock weaves. The preforms consisted primarily of Hercules AS4 carbon fiber; Shell RSL-1895 resin was introduced using a resin transfer molding process. All the finished parts were inspected using ultrasonics.
The crew is shown during fire training exercises and space suit glove molding.
This video shows the crew during various phases of flight clothing fit checks, space suit glove molding, and selection of personal hygiene articles for use onboard the Shuttle.
The stitching and resin transfer molding (RTM) processes developed at Douglas Aircraft Co. are successfully demonstrating significant cost reductions with good damage tolerance properties. These attributes were identified as critical to application of advanced composite materials to commercial aircraft primary structures. The RTM/stitching developments, cost analyses, and test results are discussed of the NASA Advanced Composites Technology program.
Innovative design concepts and cost effective fabrication processes were developed for damage tolerant primary structures that can perform at a design ultimate strain level of 6000 micro inch/inch. Attention focused on the use of textile high performance fiber reinforcement concepts that provide improved damage tolerance and out-of-plane load capability, low cost resin film infusion (RFI) and resin transfer molding (RTM) processes, and thermoplastic forming concepts. The fabrication of wing 'Y' spars by four different materials and/or processes methods is described: fabricated using IM7 angle interlock 0 to 90 deg woven preforms with + or - 45 deg plies stitched with Toray high strength graphite thread and processed using RFI and 3501-6 epoxy; fabricated using G40-800 knitted/stitched preforms and processed using RFI and 3501-6 epoxy; fabricated using G40-800 knitted/stitched preforms using RTM and Tactix 123/H41 epoxy; and fabricated preforms using AS4(6K)/PEEK 150 g commingled angle interlock 0 to 90 deg woven preforms with + or - 45 deg commingled plies stitched using high strength graphite thread and processed by consolidation. Structural efficiency, processability, and acquisition cost are compared.
This paper describes the design and process development of low-cost structural parts made by a modified resin transfer molding process. Innovative application of elastomeric tooling to increase laminate fiber volume and automated forming of fiber preforms are discussed, as applied to fabrication of a representative section of a cruise missile fuselage.
Under NASA's Novel Composites for Wing and Fuselage Applications (NCWFA) Program, Grumman is developing innovative design concepts and cost-effective fabrication processes for damage-tolerant primary structures that can perform at a design ultimate strain level of 6000 micro-inch/inch. Attention has focused on the use of textile high-performance fiber-reinforcement concepts that provide improved damage tolerance and out-of-plane load capability, low-cost resin film infusion (RFI) and resin transfer molding (RTM) processes, and thermoplastic forming concepts. The fabrication of wing 'Y' spars by four different materials/processes methods is described: 'Y' spars fabricated using IM7 angle interlock 0/90 deg woven preforms with +/- 45 deg plies stitched with Toray high-strength graphite thread and processed using RFI and 3501-6 epoxy; 'Y' spars fabricated using G40-800 knitted/stitched preforms and processed using RFI and 3501-6 epoxy; 'Y' spars fabricated using G40-800 knitted/stitched preforms and processed using RTM and Tactix 123/H41 epoxy; and 'Y' spars fabricated using AS4(6k)/PEEK 150-g commingled angle interlock 0/90 deg woven preforms with +/- 45 deg commingled plies stitched using high-strength graphite thread and processed by consolidation. A comparison of the structural efficiency, processability, and projected acquisition cost of these representative spars is presented.
Composite materials that are subjected to complex loads have traditionally been fabricated with multidirectionally oriented prepreg tape materials. Some of the problems associated with this type of construction include low delamination resistance, poor out-of-plane strength, and labor intensive fabrication processes. Textile reinforced composites with through-the-thickness reinforcement have the potential to solve some of these problems. Recently, a relatively new class of noncrimp fabrics designated as multiaxial warp knits have been developed to minimize some of the high cost and damage tolerance concerns. Multiple stacks of warp knit fabrics can be knitted or stitched together to reduce layup labor cost. The through-the-thickness reinforcement can provide significant improvements in damage tolerance and out-of-plane strength. Multilayer knitted/stitched preforms, in conjunction with resin transfer molding (RTM), offer potential for significant cost savings in fabrication of primary aircraft structures. The objectives of this investigation were to conduct RTM processing studies and to characterize the mechanical behavior of composites reinforced with three multiaxial warp knit fabrics. The three fabrics investigated were produced by Hexcel and Milliken in the United States, and Saerbeck in Germany. Two resin systems, British Petroleum E9O5L and 3M PR 500, were characterized for RTM processing. The performance of Hexcel and Milliken quasi-isotropic knitted fabrics are compared to conventional prepreg tape laminates. The performance of the Saerbeck fabric is compared to uniweave wing skin layups being investigated by Douglas Aircraft Company in the NASA Advanced Composites Technology (ACT) program. Tests conducted include tension, open hole tension, compression, open hole compression, and compression after impact. The effects of fabric defects, such as misaligned fibers and gaps between tows, on material performance are also discussed. Estimated material and labor cost savings are projected for the Saerbeck fabric as compared to uniweave fabric currently being used by Douglas in the NASA ACT wing development program.
The resin transfer molding (RTM) process offers important advantages for cost-effective composites manufacturing, and consequently has become the subject of intense research and development efforts. Several new matrix resins have been formulated specifically for RTM applications in aircraft and aerospace vehicles. For successful use on aircraft, composite materials must withstand exposure to the fluids in common use. The present study was conducted to obtain comparative screening data on several state-ofthe-art RTM resins after environmental exposures were performed on RTM composite specimens. Four graphite/epoxy composites and one graphite/bismaleimide composite were tested; testing of two additional graphite epoxy composites is in progress. Zero-deg tension tests were conducted on specimens machined from eight-ply (+45-deg, -45-deg) laminates, and interlaminar shear tests were conducted on 32-ply 0-deg laminate specimens. In these tests, the various RTM resins demonstrated widely different strengths, with 3501-6 epoxy being the strongest. As expected, all of the matrix resins suffered severe strength degradation from exposure to methylene chloride (paint stripper). The 3501-6 epoxy composites exhibited about a 30 percent drop in tensile strength in hot, wet tests. The E905-L epoxy exhibited little loss of tensile strength (less than 8 percent) after exposure to water. The CET-2 and 862 epoxies as well as the bismaleimide exhibited reduced strengths at elevated temperature after exposure to oils and fuel. In terms of the percentage strength reductions, all of the RTM matrix resins compared favorably with 3501-6 epoxy.
Reduced-thermal-expansion, reduced-bulk-modulus silicone rubber for use in mold tooling made by incorporating silica powder into silicone rubber. Pressure exerted by thermal expansion reduced even further by allowing air bubbles to remain in silicone rubber instead of deaerating it. Bubbles reduce bulk modulus of material.