NASA Technical Reports Server (NASA) · 2003 · 58 citations · 0 references
EngineeringAerospace EngineeringMaterials EngineeringAerospace MaterialsAircraft DesignAircraft StructuresComposite Aircraft StructuresComposite MaterialsComposite StructuresComposites ManufacturingFiber-reinforced CompositesStructural CertificationAircraft Structural DesignAirframe Structural DesignComposite Airframe StructuresComposite Structural DesignMaterial Selection For AirframesResin Matrix CompositesStructural Aerospace CompositesStructural Damage Tolerance
High acquisition costs and complex certification tests discourage widespread use of composite airframe components, despite suppliers’ successes in developing resin matrix and fiber systems that improve mechanical, durability, and damage‑tolerance performance. The study surveys current composite applications in military, transport, and general aviation to evaluate technology maturity and payoffs, while highlighting the need to lower material costs, simplify manufacturing, and design large‑scale integrated structures that cut assembly labor. The authors conduct a survey of existing composite materials and structures across military, transport, and general aviation aircraft to assess maturity and realized benefits. Survey results indicate that performance requirements and the potential to reduce life‑cycle costs for military aircraft and direct operating costs for transport aircraft are the primary drivers for selecting composite materials.
A survey of current applications of composite materials and structures in military, transport and General Aviation aircraft is presented to assess the maturity of composites technology, and the payoffs realized. The results of the survey show that performance requirements and the potential to reduce life cycle costs for military aircraft and direct operating costs for transport aircraft are the main reasons for the selection of composite materials for current aircraft applications. Initial acquisition costs of composite airframe components are affected by high material costs and complex certification tests which appear to discourage the widespread use of composite materials for aircraft applications. Material suppliers have performed very well to date in developing resin matrix and fiber systems for improved mechanical, durability and damage tolerance performance. The next challenge for material suppliers is to reduce material costs and to develop materials that are suitable for simplified and inexpensive manufacturing processes. The focus of airframe manufacturers should be on the development of structural designs that reduce assembly costs by the use of large-scale integration of airframe components with unitized structures and manufacturing processes that minimize excessive manual labor.