Manufacture of composite standards with controlled porosity rates for NDT
Customer name :
Several aerospace OEMs
Completion date : 2018-2025
In brief
Production of composite material standards, using the autoclave firing process, containing naturally generated porosities.
These standards, whose thickness is controlled by precision post-firing machining, distinctively contain various levels of targeted porosity rates, validated by an independent method of analysis of the standards' microstructure.
Project summary
The production of these standards in composite materials at various levels of targeted and validated porosity rates is made possible by :
- Composite parts processing using consolidation and autoclave curing processes
- Ability to generate natural porosity in composite parts by adjusting processing parameters
- Precision machining of composite standard thicknesses
- Non-destructive ultrasonic inspection of composite parts and analysis of post-inspection ultrasonic attenuation data
- Statistical evaluation of porosity levels in composite parts using optical microscopy or X-ray micro-tomography
Gallery
CTA's role
A unique capability in North America, where all the expertise required for the production of these standards in composite materials at various levels of targeted and validated porosity rates can be found under one roof. This capability draws on the complementary expertise, know-how and infrastructures of three CTA sectors.
Results
- Delivery of ready-to-use batches of composite parts with targeted porosity levels, manufactured from the customer's material system.
These parts are then used for precise calibration of the customer's ultrasonic non-destructive testing equipment. - Porosity rate vs. ultrasonic signal attenuation" curves for precise calibration of customer's ultrasonic non-destructive testing equipment.