Title: Spring Frame Press Fabrication of Aerospace Production Components

Authors: Timothy J. Luchini, Alejandro J. Rodriguez, Scott A. Rogers, Aurele Bras, Adam Whysall, Richard Russell, Scott Lucas, and Gail L. Hahn

DOI: 10.33599/nasampe/s.19.1390

Abstract: Spring frame forming operations offer a number of unique advantages including tailor-able charge tensioning for ply drop locating, low cost stamp forming tooling concepts, rapid charge loading approaches, and rate enabling automated approaches to forming. Press forming thermoset composite components enables high rate manufacturing of small to medium sized parts. A set of demonstrators were manufactured with complex ply drops and pad ups in a matched mold process using CYCOM® 5320-1 prepreg, CYCOM® 970 prepreg, and a Solvay developmental resin, XEP-2750. The parts were manufactured in a simulated production environment on production equipment with trained production personnel. The part families incorporate features representative of primary and secondary aerospace structural composites with a number of processing characteristics including up to approximately 76 cm by 76 cm (30 in by 30 in) in-plane dimensions, a targeted 30 minute tool time, and the ability to accurately locate features like ply drops and pad-ups. These developments will lead to process specifications and controls for required, hot debulk cycles, preheat cycles, press consolidation and post cure as steps towards process implementation.

References: 1. Hahn, Gail L., Bond, Gary G., “Non-Autoclave (Prepreg) Manufacturing Technology for Primary Aerospace Structures,” Society for the Advancement of Material and Process Engineering (SAMPE) Journal, Volume 47, No. 1, Jan/Feb 2011, pgs 6- 13. 2. Vandenbrande, J. “Tailorable Feedstock and Forming (TFF)” https://www.darpa.mil/program/tailorable-feedstock-and-forming 3. Hahn, G.L. and Tsotsis, T.K. Rapid High Performance Molding (RAPM) for Small Parts.” SAMPE 2019 Conference Proceedings. Charlotte, NC, May 20-23, 2019. 4. "" CYCOM® 5320-1 Technical Data Sheet."" CYCOM® 5320-1. © Solvay 2019. Accessed on 02/01/2019 <https://www.solvay.com/en/product/cycom-5320-1> 5. “CYCOM® 970 Technical Data Sheet.” CYCOM® 970. © Solvay 2019. Accessed on 02/01/2019 https://www.solvay.com/en/search?s=Cycom+970 6. Charles, D.A., Matlack, M.P., Hahn, G.L. “Agile Analysis of Manufacturing Cell Costs for Molding of Small Composite Parts.” SAMPE 2019 Conference Proceedings. Charlotte, NC, May 20-23, 2019.

Conference: SAMPE 2019 - Charlotte, NC

Publication Date: 2019/05/20

SKU: TP19--1390

Pages: 14

Price: FREE