Title: Composites From In-Situ Consolidation Automated Fiber Placement of Thermoplastics for High-Rate Aircraft Manufacturing

Authors: Roberto J. Cano, Brian W. Grimsley, Tyler B. Hudson, Jamie C. Shiflett, Christopher J. Wohl, Rodolfo I. Ledesma, Thammaia Sreekantamurthy, Christopher J. Stelter, Jin Ho Kang1, John P. Nancarrow, Ryan F. Jordan, Jake H. Rower

DOI: 10.33599/nasampe/s.24.0175

Abstract: The National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA) project Hi-Rate Composites Aircraft Manufacturing (HiCAM) aims to significantly increase commercial aircraft composite structures manufacturing rate. Thermoplastic composites offer attractive solutions to rapid manufacturing due to their ability to be formed and consolidated quickly. NASA has a particular interest in assessing composite structure manufacturing utilizing an in-situ consolidation automated fiber placement (AFP) of thermoplastics (ICAT) process employing current state-of-the-art laser heating systems. Three semi-crystalline polyaryletherketone (PAEK) thermoplastic tape materials were characterized to ascertain the ICAT process parameters. The required laser power settings were determined at Electroimpact, Inc.® , measuring material temperatures utilizing a forward looking infrared (FLIR) thermal imaging camera, and thermocouples. The material temperature, tool temperature, and placement speed were varied for resulting consolidation quality assessment. The quality of the resulting test panels was evaluated by both non-destructive evaluation as well as destructively by photo-microscopy. The effect on interlaminar strength was determined by short beam strength testing. Test results of carbon fiber laminates fabricated by ICAT using polyetheretherketone (PEEK), polyetherketoneketone (PEKK), and low-melt polyaryletherketone (LM-PAEK) at various placement temperatures and placement speeds are presented.

References: [1] C. P. Kimberly Amadeo, ""US Exports: Top Categories, Challenges, and Opportunities,"" The Balance, 4 March 2021. [Online]. Available: https://www.thebalancemoney.com/u-s-exports-top-categories-challenges-opportunities-3306282. [Accessed 6 December 2022]. [2] ""Single-Aisle Aircraft Market,"" Virtue Market Research, August 2022. [Online]. Available: https://virtuemarketresearch.com/report/single-aisle-aircraft-market/description. [Accessed 6 December 2022]. [3] R. Boyer, J. Cotton, M. Mohaghegh, and R. Schafrik, ""Materials considerations for aerospace applications,"" MRS Bulletin, vol. 40, no. 12, pp. 1055-1066, 2015. doi:10.1557/mrs.2015.278. [4] T. L. Jockims, ""The airline race for a breakthrough fuel to cut one billion tons of carbon is just starting,"" CNBC, 25 September 2022. [Online]. Available: https://www.cnbc.com/2022/09/24/how-airlines-plan-to-end-one-billion-tons-of-carbon-emissions.html. [Accessed 6 December 2022]. [5] E. B. Salas, ""Carbon dioxide emissions from commercial aviation worldwide from 2004 to 2022,"" Statista, 28 September 2022. [Online]. Available: https://www.statista.com/statistics/1186820/co2-emissions-commercial-aviation-worldwide/. [Accessed 6 December 2022]. [6] ""Boeing's Dreamliner completes first commercial flight,"" 6 October 2011. [Online]. Available: https://www.bbc.com/news/business-15456914. [Accessed 6 December 2022]. [7] L. Zhu, N. Li, and P. Childs, ""Light-weighting in aerospace component and system design,"" Propulsion and Power Research, vol. 7, no. 2, pp. 103-119, 2018. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jppr.2018.04.001. [8] B. W. Grimsley, R. J. Cano, T. B. Hudson, F. L. Palmieri, C. J. Wohl, T. Sreekantamurthy, C. J. Stelter, M. A. Assadi, R. F. Jordan, R. A. Edahl, J. C. Shiflett, J. C. Connell, and B. J. Jensen, ""High-rate aircraft manufacturing: In-situ consolidation AFP of thermoplastic composites for high-rate aircraft manufacturing,"" SAMPE Journal, vol. 58, pp. 38-54, 2022. [9] C. Stokes-Griffin, A. Kollmannsberger, P. Compston and K. Drechsler, ""The effect of processing temperature on wedge peel strength of CF/PA6 laminates manufactured in a laser tape placement process,"" Composites Part A: Applied Science and Manufacturing, vol. 121, pp. 84-91, 2019. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.compositesa.2019.02.011. [10] N. Heathman, P. Koirala, T. Yap, A. Emami and M. Tehrani, ""In situ consolidation of carbon fiber PAEK via laser-assisted automated,"" Composites Part B, Engineering, vol. 249, 2023. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.compositesb.2022.110405. [11] C. Zhang, Y. Duan, H. Xiao, B. Wang, Y. Ming, Y. Zhu, and F. Zhang, ""The effects of processing parameters on the wedge peel strength of CF/PEEK laminates manufactured using a laser tape placement process,"" The International Journal of Advanced Manufacturing Technology volume, vol. 120, pp. 7251-7262, 2022. https://doi.org/10.1007/s00170-022-09181-5. [12] A. Kollmannsberger, R. Lichtinger, F. Hohenester, C. Ebel and K. Drechsler, ""Numerical analysis of the temperature profile during the laser-assisted automated fiber placement of CFRP tapes with thermoplastic matrix,"" Journal of Thermoplastic Composite Materials, vol. 31, no. 12, pp. 1563-1586, 2018. https://doi.org/10.1177/0892705717738304. [13] O. Baho, G. Ausias, Y. Grohens and J. Férec, ""Simulation of laser heating distribution for a thermoplastic composite: effects of AFP head parameters,"" The International Journal of Advanced Manufacturing Technology, vol. 110, pp. 2105-2117, 2020. https://doi.org/10.1007/s00170-020-05876-9. [14] T. B. Hudson, C. T. Dolph, G. M. Grose, R. F. Jordan, R. J. Cano, B. W. Grimsley, ""Thermal Response of Thermoplastic Composite Tape During In-Situ Consolidation Automated Fiber Placement Using a Laser Heat Source,"" SAMPE Symposium, Seattle, WA, April 17-20, 2023. [15] J. K., Kausch, H. H., and Williams, J. G., ""Fracture Mechanics Studies of Crack Healing and Welding of polymer”, Journal of Materials Science, vol. 16, pp. 204-210, 1981. https://link.springer.com/article/10.1007/BF00552073. [16] ""Standard Test Method for Short-Beam Strength of Polymer Matrix Composite Materials and Their Laminates,"" ASTM International, West Conshohocken, PA https://doi.org/10.1520/D2344_D2344M-16. [17] B. W. Grimsley, T. B. Hudson, R. J. Cano, J. C. Shiflett, C. J. Stelter, C. J. Wohl, R. I. Ledesma, T. Sreekantamurthy, J. Ho Kang, J. P. Nancarrow, R. F. Jordan, and J. H. Rower, ""Laser Angle of Incidence Effects on In-Situ Consolidation of Automated Fiber Placement of Polyaryletherketone Composites,"" SAMPE Conference, Long Beach, CA. May 20-23, 2024. [18] R. Arquier, H. Sabatier, G. Iliopoulos, G. Regnier, G. Miquelard-Garnier, ""Role of the inter‐ply microstructure in the consolidation quality of high‐performance thermoplastic composites,"" Polymer Composites, vol. 10, 2023. https://doi.org/10.1002/pc.27847.

Conference: SAMPE 2024

Publication Date: 2024/05/20

SKU: TP24-0000000175

Pages: 13

Price: $26.00