Hybrid Thermoplastic Matrix Fabrication Methods for Missile Structures

Autoclave and compression molding (CM) techniques are able to process continuous fiber preforms that offer high strength and stiffness but are generally more suited to producing fairly simple geometric structures, e.g., plates, cones, box-structures.  Composite additive manufacturing (AM) technology offers the potential to fabricate complex geometries with optimized fiber distributions that cannot be realized using conventional methods, e.g., injection molding, but even the most advanced composite AM feedstocks do not match the structural performance of continuous preforms.  Hybrid AM composite fabrication methods offer the potential to combine the continuous fiber components and AM components into a single structure to retain cost and performance benefits offered by each material system.  Although MSC has demonstrated proof-of-concept hybrid AM composite systems/processes, a strategy for characterizing critical processing parameters and ensuing strengths necessary for design and analysis of aviation and missile structures is needed.  Materials Sciences LLC will build on their recent advances in design, analysis, and fabrication of hybrid composite structures and development of composite AM technology to address this need and accelerate insertion of hybrid AM composite technology in missile and aviation product development efforts.