Analysis of the co-consolidation process for a thermoplastic composite wing rib
A. Sharma (TU Delft - Aerospace Engineering)
J. Sinke – Mentor (TU Delft - Aerospace Engineering)
R.C. Alderliesten – Graduation committee member (TU Delft - Aerospace Engineering)
O.K. Bergsma – Graduation committee member (TU Delft - Aerospace Engineering)
Thomas de Bruijn – Mentor (GKN Aerospace)
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Abstract
In this thesis project, the out-of-autoclave process for the manufacturing of a thermoplastic wing rib was analyzed, with the goal of improving the robustness of the manufacturing process. The C/PEKK wing rib was manufactured by assembling the constituent laminates in an out-of-autoclave tool subjected to two-side heating.
The quality of the manufactured rib was evaluated using dimensional and non-destructive inspection (NDI) criteria to assess the consistency and robustness of the manufacturing process. Thermal behavior of the consolidation tool was analyzed to identify any temperature outliers that could negatively impact the rib quality. Additionally, the movement of the tool block in contact with the rib foot was monitored to determine if there was any correlation between the tool block movement and the quality of the rib foot.
For the T-joint configuration on the rib, two types of fillers were tested under tension loading: a lay-up filler and a 3D printed filler. The large radius of the web flanges in the rib made the filler a non-inspectable region in the rib, which could not be evaluated for defects using conventional NDI techniques. Therefore, the role of defects around the filler in the wing rib was examined by simulating defects in the filler/flange radius junction. Mechanical testing under tension loading was performed on samples made from the manufactured ribs to assess the severity of performance reduction due to simulated defects.
The research concluded that temperature distribution in the tool and part was not responsible for non-compliant parts; however, the pressure application required optimization. No significant correlation between the movement of the foot tool block and the achieved part quality was identified. The presence of defects around the filler resulted in a reduction in performance under tension loading, highlighting the importance of minimizing defects at the radius/filler interface.