International Journal of Aeronautical and Space Sciences

The Korean Society for Aeronautical and Space Sciences (한국항공우주학회)
권호 표지
DOI QR코드

DOI QR Code

AFP mandrel development for composite aircraft fuselage skin

  • Kumar, Deepak (Department of Aerospace Engineering, Gyeongsang National University) ;
  • Ko, Myung-Gyun (Department of Aerospace Engineering, Gyeongsang National University) ;
  • Roy, Rene (Department of Aerospace Engineering, Research Center for Aircraft Parts Technology, Gyeongsang National University) ;
  • Kweon, Jin-Hwe (Department of Aerospace Engineering, Research Center for Aircraft Parts Technology, Gyeongsang National University) ;
  • Choi, Jin-Ho (School of Mechanical Engineering, Research Center for Aircraft Parts Technology, Gyeongsang National University) ;
  • Jeong, Soon-Kwan (Korea Aerospace Industries) ;
  • Jeon, Jin-Woo (Dong-Hwa A.C.M) ;
  • Han, Jun-Su (Gyeongnam Techno Park Aerospace Center)
  • Received : 2014.02.21
  • Accepted : 2014.03.06
  • Published : 2014.03.30
Download PDF
⟨ Previous Next ⟩

Abstract

Automatic fiber placement (AFP) has become a popular processing technique for composites in the aerospace industry, due to its ability to place prepregs or tapes precisely in the exact position when complex parts are being manufactured. This paper presents the design, analysis, and manufacture of an AFP mandrel for composite aircraft fuselage skin fabrication. According to the design requirements, an AFP mandrel was developed and a numerical study was performed through the finite element method. Linear static load analyses were performed considering the mandrel structure self-weight and a 2940 N load from the AFP machine head. Modal analysis was also performed to determine the mandrel's natural frequencies. These analyses confirmed that the proposed mandrel meets the design requirements. A prototype mandrel was then manufactured and used to fabricate a composite fuselage skin. Material load tests were conducted on the AFP fuselage skin curved laminates, equivalent flat AFP, and hand layup laminates. The flat AFP and hand layup laminates showed almost identical strength results in tension and compression. Compared to hand layup, the flat AFP laminate modulus was 5.2% higher in tension and 12.6% lower in compression. The AFP curved laminates had an ultimate compressive strength of 1.6% to 8.7% higher than flat laminates. The FEM simulation predicted strengths were 4% higher in tension and 11% higher in compression than the flat laminate test results.

Keywords

References

  1. Hinrichsen, J. and Bautista, C., "The challenge of Reducing both Airframe Weight and Manufacturing Cost", Air & Space Europe, Vol. 3, Issue 3-4, 2001, pp. 119-121. https://doi.org/10.1016/S1290-0958(01)90072-3
  2. Croft, K., Lessard, L., Pasini, D., Hojjati, M., Chen, J. and Yousefpour, A., "Experimental Study of the Automated Fiber Placement Induced Defects on Performance of Composite Laminates", Composites Part A, Vol. 42, Issue 5, 2011, pp. 484- 491. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.compositesa.2011.01.007
  3. Russel, D., Kyle, J. and Peter, V., "High-Speed Fiber Placement on Large Complex Structures", SAE international, 2007-01-3843.
  4. John, M., "Applying Automation to the Fabrication of Composite based Aerospace Parts and Developing a Machine Specification", Accudyne Systems Inc., USA.
  5. Clarke, R. R., Engwall L.D., Yonash G. M. and New, A. J., "Unidirectional, Multi- head Fiber Placement", United States patent 7048024 B2, 2005.
  6. Engwall L. D., Yonash, G. M., Clark R. R. and New, A. J., "Automated Composite Lay-up to an Internal Fuselage Mandrel", United States patent 7083698B2, 2006.
  7. Hanson F. S., "Rapid Reconfigurable Fuselage Mandrel", United States patent 7648661 B2, 2010.
  8. Benson M. V., Gill, R.D., Nielsen P.J., Mansouri, H. and Shepherd, I. N., "Multiple Axes Fiber Placement Machine", United States patent 6096164, 2000.
  9. Thomas M. M., Glowasky A. R., Mcllroy E. B. and Story A.T., "Manufacturing of Smart Structures using Fiber Placement Manufacturing Processes", 266/SPIE, Vol. 2447, 1995, pp. 266-273.
  10. Farinelli, C., Kim, H.-I. and Han, J.-H., "Feasibility Study to Actively Compensate Deformations of Composite Structure in a Space Environment", International Journal of Aeronautical Space Sciences, Vol. 13, No. 2, 2012, pp. 221-228. https://doi.org/10.5139/IJASS.2012.13.2.221
  11. Measom, R. and Sewell, K., "Fiber Placement Low-cost Production for Complex Composite Structures", Proceedings of the American helicopter society 52nd annual forum, Washington DC, USA, 1996.
  12. Sawicki, A., Schulze, E., Fitzwater, L. and Harris, K., "Structural Qualification of V-22 EMD Tow-placed Aft Fuselage", Proceedings of the American helicopter society 51st annual forum, Fort Worth TX, USA, 1995, pp. 1641-1653.
  13. Simon, S., Mostafa, R., "Automated Fiber Placement including Layup Mandrel Tool", European patent 2631062 A1, 2013.
  14. Howe, D., Aircraft Loading and Structural Layout, Professional Engineering Publishing, London, 2004.
  15. Boeing Material Specification, "BMS 276 Advanced Composites - 350$^{\circ}F$ Cure Toughened - epoxy Preimpregnated Carbon Fiber Tapes and Fabrics", Boeing Corporation, Chicago, USA.
  16. Standard Test Method for Tensile Properties of Polymer Matrix Composite Materials, ASTM Standard D3039/D 3039M.
  17. Standard Test Method for Determining the Compressive Properties of Polymer Matrix Composite Laminates Using a Combined Loading Compression (CLC) Test Fixture, ASTM Standard D6641 / D6641 M.
  18. Poon, C., "Tensile fracture of notched laminates", National Research Council of Canada, 1991.
  19. Standard Test Method for Compressive Properties of Polymer Matrix Composite Materials With Unsupported Gage Section by Shear Loading, ASTM Standard D3410/ D3410M.
  20. Soutis, C., "Compressive Fracture of Orthotropic Laminates containing Open Holes due to Fibre Microinstability", Proceedings of ICF 10, Honolulu, USA, 2001.
  21. Jones, R. M., Mechanics of Composite Materials, Taylor & Francis, New-York, 1999.
  22. Nawab, T., Jacquemin, F., Casari, P., Boyard, N., Borjon-Piron, Y. and Sobotka, V., "Study of Variation of Thermal Expansion Coefficients in Carbon/Epoxy Laminated Composite Plates", Composites Part B, Vol. 50, July 2013, pp. 144-149. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.compositesb.2013.02.002
  23. Park, Y.-B., Nguyen, K.H., Kweon, J.-H., Choi, J.-H. and Han, J.-S., "Structural Analysis of a Composite Target-drone", International Journal of Aeronautical Space Sciences, Vol. 12, No. 1, 2011, pp. 84-91. https://doi.org/10.5139/IJASS.2011.12.1.84
  24. Noh, J. and Whitcomb, J., "Effect of Various Parameters on the Effective Properties of a Cracked Ply", Journal of composite materials, Vol. 35, Issue 8, 2001, pp. 689-712. https://doi.org/10.1177/002199801772662055

Cited by

  1. Manufacturing and Structural Analysis of Thick Composite Spar Using AFP Machine vol.28, pp.4, 2015, https://doi.org/10.7234/composres.2015.28.4.212