Session: 03-01-01: Advanced Manufacturing in Aerospace Engineering

Paper Number: 165648

Additively Manufactured Tooling Mold for Liquid Composite Molding (LCM) of Canted T-Joint Structures for Aerospace Applications 

The aerospace and aviation industries are compelled to explore creative innovations in response to market pressures and the demands of advanced technology. Liquid composite molding (LCM) includes several composite manufacturing techniques in which a dry fiber preform is saturated with thermosetting liquid resin within a sealed mold cavity. LCM processes are a structured and useful alternative to open-mold techniques that are more common. The most advantageous aspect of using LCM processes can be to reduce the damage to the environment while making the finished composite parts better and more cost-effective. Resin Transfer Molding (RTM) is one of the most promising LCM techniques to manufacture finished composite parts to meet the requirements of aerospace applications. This approach can create complex geometric composite structures appropriate for various applications. The canted T-joint serves as a crucial element in aircraft construction, requiring a manufacturing process that is both efficient and consistently meets or exceeds aerospace standards. Implementing an effective RTM process for this structure is essential for improving production efficiency and maintaining part quality. RTM demonstrates the ability to produce large, complicated three-dimensional components that show excellent mechanical properties, accurate dimensional accuracy, and superior surface quality. An effective design by RTM enables the fabrication of three-dimensional near-shape complex parts, facilitating the production of cost-efficient structural components in medium-volume quantities with the use of economical tooling. In addition to these benefits, the issues associated with joints, commonly found in metal structures, can be resolved through the incorporation of inserts in the deltoid region. This study focuses on the development of an additively manufactured tooling mold with the objective of producing canted T-joint composite structures using advanced manufacturing techniques. Additive manufacturing (AM) provides a rapid and economical approach to composite tooling mold, facilitating tailored mold designs that enhance resin flow and fiber placement. A small-scale production process has been established to manufacture the finished composite part and evaluate its potential for aerospace applications. The growing demand for Advanced Air Mobility (AAM) requires that aerospace industries engage in rapid prototyping and high-rate composite manufacturing to meet the changing production requirements. This study contributes to additional advancements in tooling mold design, composite manufacturing, and the selection of filler materials for the deltoid region. The results set the stage for future research on how structures fail and how well they hold up, which will lead to better composite joint designs and more efficient production of aerospace parts on a large scale.

Presenting Author: Khalid Aldhahri Wright State University

Presenting Author Biography: Dr. Aldhahri is a visiting research scientist at WSU, specializing in composite design, modeling and manufacturing, structural analysis, and additive manufacturing for a variety of applications, such as automotive, aerospace, defense, and space. He was recognized as an outstanding 2023 Ph.D. candidate in Materials Engineering at the University of Dayton for his research in advanced composite manufacturing. His expertise includes liquid composite molding, permeability testing, and additive manufacturing. He collaborates with the University of Dayton, the Ohio State University Center for Design and Manufacturing Excellence (CDME), and industry leaders to advance high-performance composite solutions.

Authors:

Khalid Aldhahri Wright State University
Henry Young Wright State University
Donald Klosterman University of Dayton