UNIVERSAL WEAVING FOR TURBINE ENGINE COMPOSITE PREFORMS

HIGH TEMPERATURE COMPOSITE MATERIALS CAN REDUCE THE WEIGHT OF TURBINE ENGINE COMPONENTS SUCH AS TURBINE BLADES AND ROTORS. MULTIAXIALLY REINFORCED FIBROUS STRUCTURES (MARFS), COMMONLY CALLED 3-D PREFORMS, ARE NECESSARY TO MEET THE MECHANICAL REQUIREMENTS OF THESE HIGH TEMPERATURE COMPONENTS. PHASE I EFFORTS WILL INCLUDE DETAILED DESIGN AND ANALYSIS OF SPECIAL WEAVING ELEMENTS TO DETERMINE THE FEASIBILITY OF A FULLY AUTOMATED 3-D CARTESIAN WEAVER (WEAVING ELEMENTS ARE SET OUT IN AN X-Y GRID). 3-D BRAIDS OR OTHER INTERLACED STRUCTURES MAY BE FORMED BY USING ONLY WARP OR "Z" DIRECTION YARNS WHICH ARE PERPENDICULAR TO THE WEAVING PLANE. BY ADDING FILLING YARNS, ORTHOGONAL, +/145 DEG, QUAZI-ISOTROPIC, AND OTHER FIBER ARCHITECTURES MAY BE FORMED. THIS TECHNOLOGY WILL ALLOW DESIGNERS TO INCORPORATE SEVERAL SHAPES AND FIBER ARCHITECTURES WITHIN A SINGLE FIBROUS PREFORM, OPTIMIZING THE PERFORMANCE OF RESULTANT PARTS. A LOW COST MANUALLY OPERATED LOOM WILL ALSO BE BUILT TO DEMONSTRATE A FULL SCALE TURBINE BLADE WITH A THICK ROOT SECTION WHICH TRANSITIONS TO A THIN AIRFOIL SHAPED BLADE.