Aircraft Composite Repair
Aircraft Composite Repair
Aircraft Composite Repair
INTRO
Composites repair methods differs base on initial
design requirements by specific aircraft
manufacturer.
2 types of repair procedures often done to
composites parts on aircraft are temporary repair
and permanent repairs
Temporary repairs are performed for such
requirements as a onetime flight or base on flight
hours.
Most repairs are intended to be permanent!!!
COMPOSITE DAMAGE
COMPOSITES REPAIR
LAMINATE STRUCTURE
Taper Sand
Remove Tedlar
And Sand
Skin Repair
Damage Core
Un-damage Core
Edge Band
Repair
Skin
Repair
Replace
Core
REPLACE PLIES
REFINISHING
Repair :
Bridging
Delaminate
Void
Fracture
Repair
Core
TOOL
TEMPERING
CLEANING
CUTTING
RELEASE AGENT
LAY-UP
BAGGING
CURING
DEBAGGING
DRY FIBER
TOOL
TEMPERING
CUTTING
CLEANING
RELEASE AGENT
WEIGHING
CUTTING
LAY-UP
BAGGING
CURING
DEBAGGING
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DAMAGE CLASSIFICATIONS
Manufacturing
(1)
(2)
(3)
Acceptable
Correctable
Rejectable
Maintenance
(1)
(2)
(3)
Negligible
Repairable
Non-repairable
COMMON DAMAGE
CATEGORY
OF DAMAGE
LAMINATE
CORE
INTERFACE
DAMAGE IN MAINTENANCE
COSMETIC DEFECTS
Damage that that occurs on the outer skin without interfering the first
layer of the reinforcing fibers.
DAMAGE IN MAINTENANCE
DELAMINATION
DAMAGE IN MAINTENANCE
DISBOND
DAMAGE IN MAINTENANCE
IMPACT DAMAGE
DAMAGE IN MAINTENANCE
Coating
Reinforcing
Fiber
Dent
Crack
Fracture
Matrix Layer
DAMAGE IN MAINTENANCE
LIGHTNING STRIKE DAMAGE
DAMAGE IN MAINTENANCE
CRACKS
DAMAGE IN MAINTENANCE
HOLE DAMAGE
DAMAGE IN MAINTENANCE
WATER INGRESSION DAMAGE
Time limited
Temporary repair.
Must be replaced with proper permanent repair
after a specified time
Defined by flight hours, flight cycle or inspection.
Usually in the form of a patch.
Use when a composite repair is urgently needed for
components in use for A/C.
If damage left unrepaired they may lead to further
rapid propagation of the damage.
ASSESSMENT OF DAMAGE
Manual Ref.
Service Manual
Small aircraft
Using NDT available procedure e.g. u/sonic
Refer to data on
REPAIR PROCEDURE
DIAMETER TO BE INCIRCLED
= D + 30N (mm)
= D + 1N (inches)
Where:
D Approximate diameter of the damaged area.
N Number of involved layer
Routing Tool
Grinding Tool
Is use to remove damages for solid laminate and thick solid laminate
with damage only on surface plies
- Also use for removel of damage for sandwich structure with damage
into the core.
Laminate Structure
Taper (scarf) sand OR
Step sanding
Using disc @ manual
sander.
Must sand 0.5 inch or
tapered by 1:30 ratio
Sandwich Structure
Taper (scarf) sand
OR Step sanding on
the laminate
Full core removal if
thickness less than 1
inch. Partial remove
is allowed if the
thickness is more
than 1 inch
MATERIAL PREPARATION
Material preparation:
Determine correct material by SRM
Check shelf life limits
Identify proper curing system
Determine correct mixing resin and weight
TYPES OF REPAIR
Basic types of composite repair include
the following:
Cosmetic
Resin Injection
Semi-structural Plug / Patch
Structural Mechanicallyfastened Doubler
Structural Bonded External Doubler
Structural Flush Repair
COSMETIC REPAIR
Resin Injection
Typical scarf distances are from 20 to 120 times the thickness of the
laminate being scarfed.
Ratio of scarfing as per example 15:1. (length: thickness)
Whereby 1 indicates thickness and 15 is the length of damaged area to be
scarfed
Core depression
Autoclave / Manufacturing
The Autoclave Process
The heat treatment process is similar in vertical and horizontal
autoclaves:
Load autoclave with product
Close and lock door
Raise to soak temperature (ramp)
Treat product for a set time (soak)
Relieve pressure
Unload autoclave
Automatic Start of Pressure Ramp Down
STEP CURING
END