Innovative, Lightweight, Durable composite CH-53K Cargo Floor

This Phase II SBIR program will develop durable lightweight floor panel design and validate the design for the CH53K Program. The objective is to develop full size panel(s), with unique integrated tooling that will facilitate an optimized and accurate fabrication process, where the materials and design configuration are tailored for durability and damage tolerance at specified static and dynamic load requirements for the CH-53K Cargo floor system. Advanced composite materials are considered to take maximum advantage of their tailor-ability to achieve a durable/damage tolerant configuration that is significantly lighter than the current CH-53K aluminum floor panels with Hybrid glass-graphite/ Thermoplastic designs. FEA and classical analysis performed in Phase-1 continues in Phase-II, developing an integrated tooling system to fabricate the floor panel assembly and meet the CH53 configuration requirements with added durability and impact resistance. Validation will start with fabrication of 5 test panels that will be tested and validated, followed by a full-scale Treadway floor panel development that can be tested in the operational environment of the CH53K. Program goal is to bring the new floor panel product to a production transition readiness stage, for the CH53K and other platforms