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NASA NTRS2001

Assessment of the State-of-the-Art in the Design and Manufacturing of Large Composite Structure

This viewgraph presentation gives an assessment of the state-of-the-art in the design and manufacturing of large component structures, including details on the use of continuous fiber reinforced polymer matrix composites (CFRP) in commercial and military aircraft and in space launch vehicles. Project risk mitigation plans must include a building-block test approach to structural design development, manufacturing process scale-up development tests, and pre-flight ground tests to verify structural integrity. The potential benefits of composite structures justifies NASA's investment in developing the technology. Advanced composite structures technology is enabling to virtually every Aero-Space Technology Enterprise Goal.

Harris, C. E.↗

NASA NTRS2002

Dynamic Stability of Uncertain Laminated Beams Under Subtangential Loads

Because of the inherent complexity of fiber-reinforced laminated composites, it can be challenging to manufacture composite structures according to their exact design specifications, resulting in unwanted material and geometric uncertainties. In this research, we focus on the deterministic and probabilistic stability analysis of laminated structures subject to subtangential loading, a combination of conservative and nonconservative tangential loads, using the dynamic criterion. Thus a shear-deformable laminated beam element, including warping effects, is derived to study the deterministic and probabilistic response of laminated beams. This twenty-one degrees of freedom element can be used for solving both static and dynamic problems. In the first-order shear deformable model used here we have employed a more accurate method to obtain the transverse shear correction factor. The dynamic version of the principle of virtual work for laminated composites is expressed in its nondimensional form and the element tangent stiffness and mass matrices are obtained using analytical integration The stability is studied by giving the structure a small disturbance about an equilibrium configuration, and observing if the resulting response remains small. In order to study the dynamic behavior by including uncertainties into the problem, three models were developed: Exact Monte Carlo Simulation, Sensitivity Based Monte Carlo Simulation, and Probabilistic FEA. These methods were integrated into the developed finite element analysis. Also, perturbation and sensitivity analysis have been used to study nonconservative problems, as well as to study the stability analysis, using the dynamic criterion.

Goyal, Vijay K.↗

NASA NTRSDate not supplied

Natural Fiber Simulations and Analysis for Composites

As the U.S. government and the aviation industry strive to achieve net-zero carbon emissions by 2050, the Sustainable Manufacturing of Aircraft (SUMAC) project, supported by the Convergent Aeronautics Solutions (CAS) program of the National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA), aims to develop sustainably derived thermoplastic composites and manufacturing technologies for future aviation. A multidisciplinary team of experts drives this initiative through a collective effort. The team’s key focus areas are sustainably derived thermoplastic resins, natural fiber reinforcement, composite manufacturing, structural health monitoring, computational materials modeling, and systems analysis. This presentation will give an overview of the SUMAC project. Fiber-scale microscopy analysis characterized fiber cross sections finding that hemp and flax fibers are very deformable and non-circular (circularities of 0.2 were observed), and diameters range from submicron to 20 μm. Fiber shapes range from flattened, with aspect ratios Rlong/Rshort up to 5, to round, Rlong/Rshort =1. And Fiber core perimeters, which likely drives deformability, were calculated Pcore=7 μm. Explicit-fiber yarn simulations, parameterized from single-fiber measurements, resolved and identified slack as a cause for yarn strain-hardening tensile behavior. The bonded network model of PLA, PHA and PA11 resins captures tensile behavior, and can model an infused weave. Computational models of the weave unit cells matched the pattern (including plain, twill and triaxial braid), yarn ply (1to 2), and yarn twist from optical microscopy.

thermoplastic↗

NASA NTRSDate not supplied

Natural Fiber Simulations and Analysis for Composites

thermoplastic↗

DOE OSTI2021

Leveraging the Advantages of Additive Manufacturing to Produce Advanced Hybrid Composite Structures for Marine Energy Systems

Many marine energy systems designers and developers are beginning to implement composite materials into the load-bearing structures of their devices, but traditional mold-making costs for composite prototyping are disproportionately high and lead times can be long. Furthermore, established molding techniques for marine energy structures generally require many manufacturing steps, such as secondary bonding and tooling. This research explores the possibilities of additively manufactured internal composite molds and how they can be used to reduce costs and lead times through novel design features and processes for marine energy composite structures. In this approach, not only can the composite mold be additively manufactured but it can also serve as part of the final load-bearing structure. We developed a conceptual design and implemented it to produce a reduced-scale additive/composite tidal turbine blade section to fully demonstrate the manufacturing possibilities. The manufacturing was successful and identified several critical features that could expedite the tidal turbine blade manufacturing process, such as single-piece construction, an integrated shear web, and embedded root fasteners. The hands-on manufacturing also helped identify key areas for continued research to allow for efficient, durable, and low-cost additive/composite-manufactured structures for future marine energy systems.

16 TIDAL AND WAVE POWER↗

DOE OSTI2020

Development and Integration of Predictive Models for Manufacturing and Structural Performance of Carbon Fiber Composites in Automotive Applications (Final Report)

The goal of this project is to develop integrated, state-of-the-art, computational modeling tools based on an integrated computational materials engineering (ICME) methodology that are critically needed to enable structural carbon fiber (CF) applications in automobiles. These tools are designed to predict the manufacturing and structural performance of CF composites, including stochastic effects. During the first phase of the project, the manufacturing and structural performance tools, including a stochastic driver, were developed, calibrated, and validated against coupon and component level test results. For this project, from the manufacturing side, the development efforts were focused on high-pressure resin transfer molding (HP-RTM), a potentially game-changing manufacturing technology that is capable of reaching the 3-5-minute cycle time that is necessary for volume manufacturing of composites. On the structural performance side, the crashworthiness of CF structures was studied. Accordingly, computational tools were developed and validated. The resulting differences between the numerical predictions and the experimental results in the first phase of the project were required to be less than 15%. During the second phase of the project, the manufacturing and performance tools were integrated by mapping the manufacturing outcomes (e.g., fiber angles, residual stresses, degree of cure, and defects) into the structural models. Also, using the tools developed in this project, an automotive assembly currently manufactured in steel (2016 GM Malibu) was redesigned to be manufactured using advanced CF composites with the objective of comparing the performance of the CF assembly with the developed ICME model predictions. The weight, performance and cost of the CF assembly were compared with the baseline steel assembly as well. The CF underbody design was shown to be 30% lighter than the corresponding steel design. The CF underbody assembly withstood the side pole impact with less than half the intrusion for the steel assembly. Excellent correlations within 10% for both peak impact load and intrusion were observed between the numerical predictions and experimental results. Based on the cost models developed in the project, the cost increase per Kg saved was determined to be $22. The project team has prepared a total of 28 publications in various journals and conferences and broadly communicated the project results for the benefit of the composite industry. The project team has also prepared a total of 10 patent applications that were submitted to the US Patent and Trademark office.

36 MATERIALS SCIENCE↗

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.↗

DOE OSTI2025

A Novel Manufacturing Process of Lightweight Automotive Seats (Integration of Additive Manufacturing and Reinforced Polymer Composite)

Lightweight automotive seats offer multiple benefits to original equipment manufacturers in terms of cost savings from various aspects, including less material usage, more integrated processes, and compliance with Corporate Average Fuel Economy Standards. Original equipment manufacturers have been focusing on innovative ways to produce light weight automotive seats. The commercially available automotive seats are currently made of multiple metal components combined through welding and fasteners. The use of additive manufacturing and composite structures is particularly useful for light weighting the automotive components. Additive manufacturing (AM) offers multiple advantages over traditional manufacturing processes such as freedom of design thereby enabling complex structural geometries, mass customization and waste minimization, and control over the fiber alignment through deposition in a predetermined pattern. Combining metal inserts with polymer composites through a novel manufacturing process allows design of lightweight and high-performance materials for automotive components. However, fabricating these metal polymer composite structures through traditional manufacturing processes limits their mechanical properties due to limited design freedom, lack of control over fiber orientation in composite parts, and poor interfacial bonding between the constituent materials. It is essential to develop a novel manufacturing process to enable high throughput production of lightweight automotive seats using metal and polymer composites. As such it is important to design the automotive seat suitable for manufacturing via this process and perform mechanical characterization on various subcomponents of the seat to ensure that the design and performance requirements provided by the auto manufacturer are met. The aim of this project is to develop a novel manufacturing technique to produce lightweight automotive seat by combining AM with conventional manufacturing processes. The car seat back panel will be designed via topology optimization and numerical simulations to minimize the overall weight while ensuring it meets all the performance requirements. The optimization of the seat back structure will be based on computational stress analysis to maximize the stiffness and minimize the weight. Materials currently used by Ford Motor Company will be adopted for a few subcomponents while the in-house composite materials will be used for the rest of the seat back. The composite and metallic materials will be tested to determine their mechanical properties as these are necessary for simulations. A novel manufacturing process will be developed to integrate AM metal inserts with discontinuous reinforced composite through large scale additive manufacturing and compression overmolding processes. The developed manufacturing technique will be used to fabricated various subcomponents suitable for the seat back design and mechanically tested to determine their properties. The manufacturing of the lightweight seat back design through this process involves integrated AM metal inserts with the composite structure for recliner connection. The manufacturing of the entire seat back which is lightweight through the novel manufacturing process will be discussed. The performance of the designed seat back will be investigated through numerical simulations and shown to meet all the requirements provided by the auto manufacturer. The final goal of developing a novel manufacturing process for lightweight automotive seats is met through design optimization of seat back, manufacturing of subcomponents, mechanical characterization, and validation through numerical simulations. The routes to achieve the final goal of the project and the depth in which they were investigated changed throughout the project due to personnel changes and the COVID-19 pandemic. The project resulted in the development of a novel manufacturing process to integrate metal inserts with tailored polymer composite preforms through overmolding. Leveraging this proven manufacturing process, a lightweight seat back was designed through topology optimization and numerical simulations. The designed seat back uses AM metal inserts and compression overmolding of tailored polymer composite preforms obtained via large scale additive manufacturing. The metal polymer composite structures fabricated through this process exhibited enhancement in stiffness and improved ductility upon testing. Overall, the project provided an alternative design and manufacturing technique for automotive seat back that enables weight saving while meeting the safety and performance requirements.

32 ENERGY CONSERVATION, CONSUMPTION, AND UTILIZATI↗

DOE OSTI2022

Metal fiber composite additive manufacturing (MFC-AM) and composite structures formed by MFC-AM

In a metal fiber composite (MFC) additive manufacturing (AM) method, a layer of polymer structures is deposited using a fused filament fabrication (FFF) printer assembly comprising at least one nozzle. Subsequently, an MFC printer assembly is used to embed a continuous metal fiber into one or more of the polymer structures of the layer. The embedding is achieved by heating the metal fiber and applying pressure to the metal fiber using an embedding surface of the MFC printer assembly. The heated metal fiber melts polymer adjacent thereto, thereby allowing the pressure to embed the metal fiber into the polymer structure. Using the MFC-AM method, various composite structures can be formed, such as novel heat exchangers that may otherwise be difficult or impossible to fabricate via other manufacturing techniques.

Hymas, David M.↗

NASA NTRS2014

TPSAS-NF1676L-18913-DND

Composite materials and structures are enabling technology for modern aerospace vehicles. Numerical-control manufacturing, including automated fiber placement (AFP), is widely used to fabricate these components. However, weight and performance requirements for the next generation of aerospace vehicles will push the state-of-art even further, and require development of more advanced materials, manufacturing, and structures technologies that are both affordable and efficient. The Integrated Structural Assembly of Advanced Composites (ISAAC) system is intended to address much of NASA?s critical research needs in advanced composites. The baseline ISAAC system, combining a commercial robot with multiple redundant degrees of freedom, a tool changer interface, and a special-purpose AFP end effector, enables precise and accurate additive manufacturing of composite structures, as well as development of advanced tow-steered structures with tailored load paths. The highly capable baseline system can quickly change end effectors, thus enabling further research for composites manufacturing. This extended system is similar to a high-speed machining center, where interchangeable cutters are used for different operations during metal structures fabrication. This capability enables future development, integration and assessment of new advanced manufacturing technologies, such as in-situ curing and NDE, and through-thickness reinforcements to reduce delaminations. End effectors with these advanced capabilities may be purchased, developed internally or with industry or academia, and then integrated onto the existing robotic platform to perform advanced manufacturing operations and develop new techniques and processes. Technologies, techniques and processes developed using this research-oriented system could then be transitioned to the broader composites industry.

Rob Martin↗

NASA NTRS2020

Design for Manufacturing Tool for Automated Fiber Placement Structures - Verification and Validation

A tool has been developed to address the growing Design for Manufacturing needs for composite structures, specifically those manufactured with automated fiber placement. This manufacturing approach presents unique challenges associated with puckers and wrinkling, tow overlaps and gaps, fiber deviation, and laminate strength. Achieving a satisfactory laminate design usually requires finding compromises between those four areas. The developed tool, dubbed the Central Optimizer, assists with the process of balancing competing design metrics in automated fiber placement. This tool was developed under the NASA Advanced Composites Consortium with input from industry partners. Under this program, the Central Optimizer has been exercised on three different structures to verify its functionality and validate ability to improve the design process for automated fiber placement structures.

August T Noevere↗

NASA NTRS1992

Characterization and manufacture of braided composites for large commercial aircraft structures

Braided composite materials, one of the advanced material forms which is under investigation in Boeing's ATCAS program, have been recognized as a potential cost-effective material form for fuselage structural elements. Consequently, there is a strong need for more knowledge in the design, manufacture, test, and analysis of textile structural composites. The overall objective of this work is to advance braided composite technology towards applications to a large commercial transport fuselage. This paper summarizes the mechanics of materials and manufacturing demonstration results which have been obtained in order to acquire an understanding of how braided composites can be applied to a commercial fuselage. Textile composites consisting of 1D, 2D triaxial, and 3D braid patterns with thermoplastic and two RTM resin systems were investigated. The structural performance of braided composites was evaluated through an extensive mechanical test program. Analytical methods were also developed and applied to predict the following: internal fiber architectures, stiffnesses, fiber stresses, failure mechanisms, notch effects, and the entire history of failure of the braided composites specimens. The applicability of braided composites to a commercial transport fuselage was further assessed through a manufacturing demonstration. Three foot fuselage circumferential hoop frames were manufactured to demonstrate the feasibility of consistently producing high quality braided/RTM composite primary structures. The manufacturing issues (tooling requirements, processing requirements, and process/quality control) addressed during the demonstration are summarized. The manufacturing demonstration in conjunction with the mechanical test results and developed analytical methods increased the confidence in the ATCAS approach to the design, manufacture, test, and analysis of braided composites.

Fedro, Mark J.↗

DOE OSTI2021

5.5 Hybrid Additively Manufactured Tooling for Large Composite Structures

This program sought to lower tooling costs for tightly toleranced, large composite aerostructures by using large format additive manufacturing (LFAM). LFAM tooling has the potential to lower tooling costs, but the large and unpredictable thermal expansion of polymer-based tooling did not previously allow for the production of large structures made with high performance resins requiring 350 deg F cures. Geometric tolerance issues and demolding concerns continued to arise. The proposed approach for this work was to print a thin shell via additive manufacturing that would be used as a scaffold for a conventional tooling prepreg. The prepreg would be laminated and cured onto both sides of the shell, creating a tool with a sandwich construction. The cured prepreg would then be machined and serve as the tooling surface. In addition to providing a clean, pit-free surface, the prepreg stiffness and low thermal expansion would physically restrain the AM shell and prevent it from expanding during thermal cycling, thus preventing any geometric mismatch between the nominal and actual part dimensions. A stair-step approach was taken to prove out this approach. Coupon level testing was done to ensure a good bond was possible between the AM shell and the tooling prepreg. These samples were also used to determine the amount of prepreg needed to achieve the desired coefficient of thermal expansion (CTE). The project team than progressed to a subscale tool measuring two feet in length. The geometry used was a C-section spar from Airbus’ Wing of Tomorrow program. A hybrid tool, using the AM shell and tooling prepreg, was made, and a composite part was fabricated with the tool. Dimensional scans of the tool and part indicated that the desired CTE was achieved with the tool. A second tooling approach was taken to reduce risk. In this approach, a subscale tool of the same geometry as previously mentioned was created, but the tool was entirely constructed of the tooling prepreg. AM was used to print a “master” that was then used to fabricate the tool by creating a splash off of the master using tooling prepreg. The innovation was that the master was not machined, but rather, was used right off the printer after a small amount of surface preparation. Removing this machining step was thought to make this approach economically viable when compared to conventional master fabrication. As before, the tool was used to fabricate a part and tested for dimensional accuracy. For the conclusion of the program, a ten-foot tool was created using the hybrid tool approach. The geometry also came from the Airbus C-section spar previously mentioned. Some difficulty arose in accurately predicting the geometry of the tool after laminating the tooling prepreg, resulting in multiple material additions and a tool geometry change. A part was fabricated in an autoclave using the tool. A cost savings of almost 50% was achieved on the subscale tool in both the hybrid and master-style tool, but the savings dropped considerably as the tool length increased in the full-scale tool. Given the less than expected cost savings and added complexity of the tool construction, it is suggested that the master-style tool is best for immediate commercialization for larger tools (although it may be appropriate for smaller, table-top size tools). Since its construction is very similar to conventionally made composite tooling, there already exists a broad supply chain for building the tool, and project partner Additive Engineering Solutions (AES) is well acquainted with the design and build of the AM master needed.

36 MATERIALS SCIENCE↗

NASA NTRS2014

TPSAS-NF1676L-19134-DND

Composite materials and structures are state-of-art enabling technology for modern aerospace vehicles, reducing weight and maintenance requirements, and increasing performance and reliability. Numerical-control manufacturing systems, including automated fiber placement (AFP), are widely used to fabricate these components. However, the challenging weight and performance requirements necessary for the next generation of aerospace vehicles will push the composites state-of-art even further, and require development of even more advanced materials, manufacturing, and structures technologies that are more affordable and more efficient. The Integrated Structural Assembly of Advanced Composites (ISAAC) system is intended to address many of NASA's critical research needs in the field of advanced composites. The baseline ISAAC system, combining a commercial robot with multiple degrees of freedom, a tool changer interface, and a special-purpose AFP end effector, will enable very precise and accurate additive manufacturing of composite structures. One promising area of research enabled by the ISAAC system is advanced composite tow-steered structures that have tailored structural load paths. Several examples are presented that describe these tow-steered composite structures in more detail.

Brian K Stewart↗

DOE OSTI2024

Empirical Characterization and Modeling of Cohesive – to – Adhesive Shear Fracture Mode Transition due to Increased Adhesive Layer Thicknesses of Fiber Reinforced Composite Single – Lap Joints

Here, to ensure a strong adhesive bond, most standards and adhesive manufacturers specify a maximum adhesive gap of 1 mm when bonding fiber reinforced composite structures. In manufacturing large components, such as joining two halves of wind turbine blades, meeting this gap tolerance specification is impractical; gaps larger than 10 mm are common in large adhesively bonded composite structures using state-of-the-art manufacturing techniques. Currently, there is a lack of fundamental understanding of the failure mechanics of adhesive gaps larger than 3 mm. To create such understanding, glass fiber - acrylic thermoplastic composite panels bonded using different epoxy adhesives within single-lap joint samples with adhesive thicknesses of 0.1 mm, 0.3 mm, 1 mm, 3 mm, 5 mm, and 10 mm were sheared to failure. A transition from cohesive to adhesive failure was observed to occur about 1 mm to 3 mm joint thicknesses. Plotting the shear stress normalized by the ratio of the joint width to thickness as a function of the joint thickness normalized by the joint length is shown to result in the ability to fit simple empirically derived models of the cohesive-to-adhesive failure transition, regardless of the adhesive. Furthermore, using these normalized variables, all the observed cohesively failed specimens collapse to a single master curve, as do the adhesively failed specimens.

36 MATERIALS SCIENCE↗

DOE OSTI2025

A Novel Manufacturing Process of Lightweight Automotive Seats: Integration of Additive Manufacturing and Reinforced Polymer Composite

99 GENERAL AND MISCELLANEOUS↗

NASA NTRS1992

Characterization and manufacture of braided composites for large commercial aircraft structures

Braided composite materials has been recognized as a potential cost effective material form for fuselage structural elements. Consequently, there is a strong need for more knowledge in the design, manufacture, test, and analysis of textile structural composites. Advance braided composite technology is advanced towards applications to a large commercial transport fuselage. The mechanics are summarized of materials and manufacturing demonstration results which were obtained in order to acquire an understanding of how braided composites can be applied to a commercial fuselage. Textile composites consisting of 2-D, 2-D triaxial, and 3-D braid patterns with thermoplastic and two resin transfer molding resin systems were studied. The structural performance of braided composites was evaluated through an extensive mechanical test program. Analytical methods were also developed and applied to predict the following: internal fiber architecture; stiffness; fiber stresses; failure mechanisms; notch effects; and the history of failure of the braided composite specimens. The applicability of braided composites to a commercial transport fuselage was further assessed through a manufacturing demonstration.

Fedro, Mark J.↗

NASA NTRS2000

Manufacturing and NDE of Large Composite Structures for Space Transportation at MSFC

This paper presents the Marshall Space Flight Center's (MSFC's) vision to manufacture, increase safety and reduce the cost of launch vehicles. Nondestructive evaluations of large composite structures are tested for space transportation at MSFC. The topics include: 1) 6 1/2 Generations of Airplanes in a Century; 2) Shuttle Safety Upgrades; 3) Generations of Reusable Launch Vehicles; 4) RLV Technology Demonstration Path; 5) Second Generation; 6) Key NASA Requirements; 7) X-33 Elements; 8) Future-X Pathfinder Projects and Experiments; 9) Focus Area Technical Goals; 10) X-34 Expanded View; 11) X-38 Spacecraft with De-Orbit Propulsion Stage (DPS); 12) Deorbit Module (DM) Critical Design Review (CDR) Design; 13) Forward Structural Adapter (FSA) CDR Design; 14) X-38 DPS CDR Design; 15) RLV Focused Propulsion Technologies; and 16) Challenges in Technology. This paper is presented in viewgraph form.

McGill, Preston↗