Title: Innovations in Washout Tooling to Lower Cost, Shorten Lead Times, and Improve Properties

Authors: Linda L. Clements and John L. Crowley

DOI: 10.33599/nasampe/s.19.1551

Abstract: Nevada Composites Inc. has developed Green-AeroSM tooling—lightweight ceramic tooling that is stable under high pressure and long-duration cure cycles and can be washed out with water after cures above 315 °C (600 °F). Tools, whether single-sided or washout, have a composite-compatible CTE, provide tight tolerances, are stable to storage under ambient conditions, and are of affordable cost. All steps in the production process are environmentally benign. Tools, particularly washout mandrels, have been provided to several different military and commercial clients for use in processes including hand layup followed by autoclave cure, filament winding, and VARTM. The goal of the current Navy-sponsored research has been to improve both the cost and the delivery time as well as reproducibility for use by Navy repair depots. The paper describe innovations in non-oven hardening of the mandrels as well as other mandrel-production innovations. The changing role of rapid additive manufacturing in mandrel production is also discussed.

References: 1. Clements, Linda & Macy, Bill, “Rapid Tooling for Composites,” Society of Manufacturing Engineers, Composites Manufacturing Technology and Direct Digital Manufacturing Groups Joint Webinar, Feb. 21, 2013; available from http://www.sme.org/composites-webinars/?terms=webinars . 2. Clements, Linda L., “Tooling for Composite Manufacture, Repair, and Replacement,” Society of Manufacturing Engineers, Composites Manufacturing Technology Group, Webinar, Feb. 21, 2012; available from http://www.sme.org/composites-webinars/?terms=webinars . 3. Clements, Linda L. & John L. Crowley, “Tailoring Rapid, Low-Cost Tooling to Enable Challenging Composites Applications,” Proceedings of SAMPE ’11 Long Beach, CA, May 2011, Society for the Advancement of Material and Process Engineering, Covina, CA. 4. Clements, Linda L., Crowley, John L. & Crowley Colin L., “Using Next-Generation Rapid Tooling to Free Designers and Manufacturers from Tooling Limitations,” Proceedings of SAMPE ’10 Seattle, WA, May 2010. Society for the Advancement of Material and Process Engineering, Covina, CA. 5. Clements, Linda L. & Crowley, John L., “Tooling for Composite Materials: Problems and Solutions,” Proceedings of SAMPE ’09 Wichita, KS, October 2009, Society for the Advancement of Material and Process Engineering, Covina, CA.

Conference: SAMPE 2019 - Charlotte, NC

Publication Date: 2019/05/20

SKU: TP19--1551

Pages: 12

Price: FREE