Low Cost/Light Weight Composite Structural Components

Goldsworthy and Associates propose to develop a pultrusion capability as an alternative method for the manufacture of stiffeners and stiffened sections which were previously made by hand layup. The pultrusion process will clearly be capable of fabrication at aircraft quality standards. This will be accomplished by relying on pultrusion machinery which has been developed and proven by G&A. Novel concepts of lock joining and fastenerless joining which were developed and proven for other highly successful designs will also be developed. This will allow for stiffened sections to be assembled quickly into structures. The main goal of the proposed phase I effort will be to provide conceptual designs which can be achieved by pultrusion. Additionally, a weight and cost analysis for these concepts will be provided. Coupon samples will be manufactured and tested in order to obtain essential design data for continued work. Phase I will thus serve as a feasibility study which wll produce the necessary figures of merit for a phase II effort.