N121-033 TITLE: Innovative Concepts for Low Cost, Light Weight, Highly Durable, Tooling for Composite Structural Component Fabrication

TECHNOLOGY AREAS: Air Platform, Materials/Processes

ACQUISITION PROGRAM: JSF-AV

RESTRICTION ON PERFORMANCE BY FOREIGN CITIZENS (i.e., those holding non-U.S. Passports): This topic is "ITAR Restricted". The information and materials provided pursuant to or resulting from this topic are restricted under the International Traffic in Arms Regulations (ITAR), 22 CFR Parts 120 - 130, which control the export of defense-related material and services, including the export of sensitive technical data. Foreign Citizens may perform work under an award resulting from this topic only if they hold the "Permanent Resident Card", or are designated as "Protected Individuals" as defined by 8 U.S.C. 1324b(a)(3). If a proposal for this topic contains participation by a foreign citizen who is not in one of the above two categories, the proposal will be rejected.

OBJECTIVE: Develop an innovative, low cost, light weight, highly durable approach to produce tooling that is used for the fabrication of composite airframe structural components, and capable of withstanding high temperature processing conditions.

DESCRIPTION: Mold tools for the lay-up and autoclave curing of precision composite parts for air vehicle application are primarily made from invar metal or polymer matrix composites. Metal tooling is generally expensive and subject to long lead times. Composite tooling is typically made by hand-layup and autoclave cure of prepreg materials. While prepreg tooling is generally less expensive than metal tooling, the need for autoclave equipment and freezer storage limits the industrial base and complicates the supply chain. Composite tooling durability is also an issue in the curing of bismaleimide (BMI) resins due to exposure to more extreme thermal profiles during part processing. Therefore both invar and composite tooling requiring prepreg and autoclave cure is of no interest.

The ideal tooling concepts should be capable of implementation by substantially cutting the lead time to build a tool and reduce cost. Eliminating the use of an autoclave to cure the tooling and freezers to store the prepreg materials prior to lay-up and cure would be ideal. The mold tools created must be suitable for subsequent lay-up and cure of current typical aerospace structural polymer matrix composite materials comprised of epoxy, BMI and out-of-autoclave polymers. The mold tools must be capable of sustaining autoclave pressures up to 100 pounds per square inch (psi) and temperatures up to 375 fahrenheit, with a strong desire to meet a 450 fahrenheit temperature requirement enabling post-cure of BMI components on the mold tool. The mold tools must be durable and repairable to facilitate the manufacture of hundreds or thousands of parts from the mold.

PHASE I: Develop an innovative approach for a tooling concept that would enable the fabrication of composite structural components.

PHASE II: Fully develop the concept conceived during Phase I into a prototype tooling system. Demonstrate the suitability of the developed approach by producing multiple tools and using those tools for the fabrication of multiple composite structural components constructed of various material systems, including high temperature resin systems. Demonstrate the durability of the tooling concept by producing a quantity of composite components.

PHASE III: Fully implement the tooling concept by transitioning the technology to aircraft component fabricators.

PRIVATE SECTOR COMMERCIAL POTENTIAL/DUAL-USE APPLICATIONS: The technology developed under this effort has direct applicability to the commercial aircraft industry.

REFERENCES:
1. Gibbons, G.J., Segui-Garza, J.J., & Hansell, R. G. (2010). Low-Cost Resin Infusion Mould Tooling for Carbon Fibre Composites Manufacture. J Aerospace Engineering, Vol. 224. http://dx.doi.org/10.1243/09544100JAERO583

2. Walczyk, D.F., Hosford, J.F., Papazian, J.M. (2003). Using Reconfigurable Tooling and Surface Heating for Incremental Forming of Composite Aircraft Parts. J Manuf Scie & Engr, Vol. 125, 333-343.

3. Gibbons, G.J., Segui-Garza, J.J., Hansell, R.G. (2010), Variable Cavity Volume Tooling for High-Performance Resin Infusion Moulding. J Aerospace Engr, Vol. 224(4), part G pp. 499-509.

KEYWORDS: Low Cost tooling, composite fabrication, moulding, tooling, RTM, VARTM, composites, carbon fibre.

** TOPIC AUTHOR (TPOC) **

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