Development of Low-Cost Lightweight Tooling for Large Composite Structures

Abstract

[Abstract] The Access to Space initiative is providing the incentive for launching increasingly large payloads. Composites are an excellent choice for the launch vehicle structure to carry these large payloads, as a result of low mass density and high strength and stiffness. However, very large composite structures present special difficulties for fabrication. Tools can become very large, heavy and expensive, and autoclaves sufficiently large for curing the polymer matrix are very expensive. Therefore, there are very few available. Furthermore, many very large composites are used in low production quantity applications, such as space launch vehicle structures. This paper describes a group of research projects directed at reducing the cost and complexity of fabrication of tooling for large composite structures. Multiple tooling methods for various applications are under development. This paper is focused on tooling used for the lay-up and cure of composite structures. It will discuss the issues and challenges of fabricating large cure tooling, potential solutions to those issues, plans to evaluate and optimize those solutions, and progress to date on those plans. The program management and funding are being provided by the Air Force Research Laboratory (AFRL), Space Vehicles Directorate (Kirtland AFB), and includes SBIR partnerships with ATA Engineering and Nielsen Engineering and Research (NEAR) and contracts with ATK. Research presented is limited to joint efforts of AFRL and ATK applied to AFRL programs and complementary, but independent, ATK research.