ELECTRIC RESISTANCE HEATING AND CONSOLIDATION OF THERMOPLASTIC MATRIX COMPOSITES

THE OBJECTIVE OF THE PROPOSED DEVELOPMENT PROGRAM IS TO EVALUATE THE FEASIBILITY OF USING ELECTRIC RESISTANCE HEATING OF STRUCTURAL CARBON FIBER IN THE MANUFACTURE OF THERMOPLASTIC MATRIX COMPOSITE PARTS. THE INNOVATIVE TECHNOLOGY PROPOSED HAS THE POTENTIAL TO SIGNIFICANTLY REDUCE FABRICATED COMPOSITE PARTS COST BY REDUCING MANUFACTURING CYCLE TIMES AND ENERGY REQUIREMENTS AND BY MAKING EXISTING EQUIPMENT SUITABLE FOR THE PROCESSING OF NEW HIGH TEMPERATURE THERMOPLASTIC AND THERMOSET COMPOSITES. THE HEATING OF COMPOSITE COMPONENTS FOR CURE OR CONSOLIDATION USING ELECTRIC RESISTANCE HEATING OF THE CARBON FIBER WITHIN THE LAYUP IS POTENTIALLY MORE EFFICIENT THAN CURRENT HEATING METHODS BECAUSE CARBON DIBER IS WELL SUITED FOR RESISTIVE HEATING AND THE HEAT CAN BE CONFINED TO THE PART ONLY RATHER THAN TO THE PART, THE TOOL, AND THE PRESS OR AUTOCLAVE. THE TASKS PROPOSED INCLUDE DEVELOPMENT OF CONTROL TECHNIQUES, EVALUATION OF TEMPERATURE UNIFORMITY AND REPEATABILITY, OPTIMIZATION OF PROCESS PARAMETERS FOR THE CONSOLIDATION OF HIGH QUALITY THERMOPLASTIC MATRIX COMPOSITE LAMINATES, AND DETERMINATION OF BASIC MECHANICAL PROPERTIES OF THE LAMINATES CONSOLIDATED. IT IS ANTICIPATED THAT AT THE END OF PHASE I A NEW MANUFACTURING TECHNOLOGY WITH SIGNIFICANT COST ADVANTAGES OVER CURRENT TECHNOLOGIES WILL HAVE BEEN DEMONSTRATED.