Integrally Woven Lightweight High Temperature Structures

A new textile process has been developed by Techniweave that employs multidirectional weaving in the fabrication of integrally woven, net shaped, complex components. The process has been demostrated manually and has been shown through design of equipment to be feasible for an automated system. The process offers several attributes which are not, in combination, available with any other process. Cross rib-stiffened preforms have been woven by Techniweave, Inc. using carbon fibers with the ribs integrally woven with the panel(skin). Quasi-isotropic fiber orientation was used in both the panel and ribs which can be varied to suit the designers requirements. Z-direction reinforcement was introduced without damage to fibers. Similar methods can be used to fabricate other ceramic fiber preforms. Techniweave proposes to demostrate the innovative concept through the fabrication of carbon fiber preforms that will be densified with a carbonaceous matrix by B.F.Goodrich Super-Temp. The quality of the composite will be evaluated through preliminary mechanical properties and compared to the state of the art in carbon-carbon composites. Further consideration will be given to the design and feasibility of automated equipment that can handle brittle fibers such as carbon and other ceramic fibers. A recommendation will be made with respect to a Phase II program.