NONA Repair of Composite Structures

Supporting aerospace mission readiness, a system is needed that allows for composite repairs without the current roadblocks imposed by ovens, autoclaves, and expensive tooling. Cornerstone Research Group (CRG), its subsidiary NONA Composites, and the University of Dayton Research Institute (UDRI) presents NASA with the opportunity to obtain a rapid and robust method for on-site composite structural repairs that is cost effective and flexible to a wide spectrum of repair scenarios. In Phase I the program succeeded in establishing concept viability. The strength of the NONA repair was considerably better than a comparable existing system. The repair steps allow for a complete repair to occur in a single eight-hour shift. Additionally, NONA Composites independently showed that the repair technology could be delivered in a simple, easy to use kit. The kit contains everything that a user would need and is now being evaluated by a range of beta testers to allow for a launch of this first generation product directly as a result of the Phase I and NONA Composites activity. In Phase II, CRG and NONA Composites will establish allowable use parameters and design specifications. Quality control efforts will focus on improvements in the existing kit, but will also translate to additional repair configurations, including repair of different composite materials. UDRI will perform scarf activities and conduct destructive and non-destructive evaluation. Finally, the team will perform an on-site repair at Kennedy Space Center to show the true flexibility and portability of the technology. The Phase II effort will also help support further technology socialization and continued business analysis on cost, supply chain, and market acceptance. The NONA repair process enables fast, effective composite repairs. The true cost savings of the technology is realized by limiting down time and offering greater system reliability.