Rapid Tooling for Composites Using Close Range Photogrammetry and Rapid Prototype Construction

"KaZaK Composites proposes to extend technology initially demonstrated in Phase I for the creation of low cost prototype tooling optimized for fabrication of small numbers of composite prototype or repair parts. Phase I tooling technology demonstrated twomajor components 1) use of digital photogrammetry to automate the development of digital 3-D geometric data for applications requiring repair of aircraft components when no other source of drawing data is available, and 2) development of low costtechnology for the creation of low thermal expansion composite tooling using data from existing CAD data bases or photogrammetry-generated 3-D dimensional information. In Phase II KCI will focus the majority of our effort on improvements to toolingmaterials and fabrication technology, with a lesser level of effort applied to 3-D geometric information generation. Various tooling architectures will be developed and compared, new surfacing materials identified and evaluated, and pultrusion-basedfabrication technology demonstrated. KCI will work closely with the Navy and Lockheed Martin to focus the Phase II technology in directions that maximize the SBIR program's usefulness to JSF development. The Phase II program will culminate with thedevelopment of at least one full-sized tool for a JSF component.BENEFITS: Two basic technologies will be developed in Phase II. Each of these technologies can individually be developed into commercial business op