McDonell Douglas Technologies Incorporated (MDTI) is focused on adapting state-of-the art low cost composite fabrication techniques to high performance, low obserwable (LO) structure. With increasing emphasis on affordability, future radar cross section (RCS) goals may not be realizable due to the high costs typically associated with LO technology. Much of the cost associated with high performance LO structure is attributed to composite manufacturing techniques that require considerable touch labor and expensive, limited shelf life materials. Rigid foam and honeycomb, for example, require extensive machining to achieve desired final net shapes. The use of a mold-to-net shape foam core eliminates expensive machining. This paper focuses on the building block approach MTDI used to demonstrate affordable material and process approaches for fabrication of a large LO structure. This approach consisted of simultaneous development of: an MTDI mold-to-net-shape core material identified as thermoplastic syntactic foam (TPSF), and resin film infusion (RFI) technology applied to LO materials and structural configurations. The demonstration article selected for this technology was an eight-foot-long leading edge. MTDI was successful with first time fabrication of the eight-foot-leading edge because of the building block approach described herein. Developments from this program are applicable to current and future, manned and unmanned aircraft.


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    Title :

    Low cost composite fabrication methods applied to low observable structure


    Additional title:

    Einsatz preisgünstiger Verfahren zur Herstellung schwach wahrnehmbarer Strukturen aus Verbundstoff


    Contributors:
    Guy, T.A. (author) / Sanger, K.B. (author) / Ruskowski, E. (author)


    Publication date :

    1995


    Size :

    7 Seiten, 11 Bilder, 1 Quelle



    Type of media :

    Conference paper


    Type of material :

    Print


    Language :

    English




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