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Manufacturing Technology Portfolio
  Deep
Core Composite Repair
The next generation of military aircraft is
heavily dependent on advanced composite materials to achieve
the necessary performance. Many of these materials are exceptional
thermal insulators and are susceptible to damage by excessive
surface heat. These composite materials require a new approach
to deep-core curing of adhesives that will eliminate current
surface heating methods in aircraft repair at both field and
depot levels.
Additionally, there are many commercial applications
for deep-core curing technology. These applications tend to
be focused on bonding parts with high-performance adhesives
that are sensitive to conventional process conditions or have
a unique need.
In response to these composite repair requirements,
CRG designed, fabricated, and demonstrated a novel photo-delivery
system that cures currently qualified aircraft repair adhesives
without surface heating. During a Phase I effort, the viability
of using a photo-delivery system to cure adhesives was confirmed.
In the Phase II program, CRG tested and delivered a prototype
photo-delivery system. The solution integrated a high-power optical
energy source with an innovative optical scrim embedded into the
film adhesive. This technology provided uniform heat distribution
within the bond line and achieved full cure of 121ºC (250ºF) film
adhesive without backside heating.
Click here
for a Flash animation that gives an overview of the process in
detail.
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