Improved Adhesion Strength Surface-Mounted Attachment Device

"The advanced aircraft now used in the Navy fleet consist of ever increasing percent weight of composite materials. Composite materials must be designed to accommodate through penetrations due to their notch sensitivity. The need to install hydraulic andelectrical lines throughout an aircraft has lead to the development of surface mounted attachment devices that have no penetrations. Difficulties in peel resistance of these devices on the V-22 have lead to the need for improvements in peel, shock andfatigue performance of these safety critical components.Foster-Miller proposes to develop surface mounted attachment devices that have superior performance to any existing bonded attachment device. This will be accomplished through a firm understanding of the attachment behavior of these devices and throughcareful design for cost throughout the program. The support of Bell Helicopter will enable a directed program that will rapidly address issues of attachment of most concern to the Navy. The Phase II program will develop the design, tooling, productionline and extensive test database needed to implement the devices on V-22. (P-020542) This need for reliable cost-effective surface mounted attachment devices is rapidly increasing as more aircraft are transitioned to composite materials. The need for these devices can be found on the V-22, Comanche, UCAV, and is expected to be needed forall future Navy aircraft and surface ships such