As a logical consequence of the advancements in automation of production of composite aircraft structures, more attention is paid to the automation of maintenance. Current repair procedures involve manual labour and exposure to harmful particles (such as dust, vapours) while final quality and evidencing depends largely on the skills of repair technicians. The current study aims to automate composite repair procedures for the aviation sector with the objective to counter these disadvantages. Main research question: ‘What is required for a robot system to assist in composite repairs’This research is part of a larger, SIA-RAAK funded project FIXAR, running in three Universities of Applied Sciences in the Netherlands and a cluster of knowledge institutions and industry partners.In the repair process of aircraft structures, repair by means of scarf or lap joints is common practice. First paint layers must be removed to inspect the area and prepare for further repair. Then damaged material is removed. Material is replaced and the repair is finished and painted. Tasks within the repair process that are considered dull or harmful are sanding and material removal. Current investigation focussed on automation of these tasks.
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The present study aims at understanding and addressing certain challenges of automation of composite repairs. This research is part of a larger, SIA-RAAK funded project FIXAR, running in three Universities of Applied Sciences in the Netherlands and a cluster of knowledge institutions and industry partners.The approach followed in the current study, consists of three steps. First, the identification of the feasibility and most promising procedures for automated composite repair by analysis of current state-of-the-art methods as prescribed by OEMs and standards. Processes which are tedious or even contain health risks may qualify for automation. Second, a comparison of curing alternatives for composite repairs is made, by means of the creation and testing of specimen using different curing strategies. Lastly, a benchmark test of human made composite repairs is used in order to set a reference baseline for automation quality. This benchmark can be then applied to define a lower limit and prevent over-optimization. The employed methodology includes data collection, analysis, modelling and experiments.
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AIM: To compare the shear bond strength (SBS) after aging of two dual-curing composite resin cements to multiphase composite resin (experiment) and glass-ceramics (control).METHODS: Seventy computer-aided design/computer-aided manufacturing (CAD/CAM) blocks were prepared: 24 multiphase composite resin blocks (Lava Ultimate; experiment), and 12 control blocks (groups 5 and 6: 6 IPS e.max CAD, 6 IPS Empress CAD). Surface treatments of the experiment groups were: 1) Al2O3 airborne particle abrasion; 2) bur-roughening; 3) silica-coated aluminum oxide particle abrasion; and 4) hydrofluoric (HF) acid etching. Per study group, Variolink II (a) and RelyX Ultimate (b) were used as cements. Per treatment group, four cement cylinders were adhered to the conditioned blocks (n = 12). After thermocyclic aging (10.000x, 5°C to 55°C), notch-edge shear testing was applied. Modes of failure were examined. A P value of 0.05 was considered significant.RESULTS: Groups 1a (18.68 ± 3.81) and 3a (17.09 ± 3.40) performed equally to 6a (20.61 ± 4.10). Group 5a (14.39 ± 2.80) did not significantly differ from groups 1a, 3a, and 4a (15.21 ± 4.29). Group 2a (11.61 ± 3.39) showed the lowest bond strength. For the RelyX Ultimate specimens, mean bond strengths were: 1b (18.12 ± 2.84) > 4b (15.57 ± 2.31) > 2b (12.34 ± 1.72) = 3b (11.54 ± 2.45) = 6b (12.31 ± 1.87) > 5b (0.78 ± 0.89). Failure mode analysis showed a significant association between bond strength values and modes of failure (chi-square).CONCLUSION: The SBS of the composite cements to the multiphase composite resin that was treated by Al2O3 or silica-coated aluminum oxide particle abrasion is comparable to the bond of the control groups.
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PURPOSE: Limited information is available on the effect of Immediate Dentin Sealing (IDS) on the fracture strength of indirect partial posterior restorations. This study evaluated the effect of IDS on the fracture strength and failure types of two indirect restorative materials.MATERIALS AND METHODS: Standard MOD inlay preparations were made on sound molars (N=40, n=10 per group) and randomly divided into four groups to receive the inlay materials with and without the application of IDS: Group L-IDS-: Li2Si2O5 (Lithium disilicate, IPS e.max) without IDS; Group L-IDS+: Li2Si2O5 with IDS; Group MR-IDS-: Multiphase resin composite (MR, Lava Ultimate) without IDS; MR-IDS+: MR with IDS. Inlays made of L were etched with 5% hydrofluoric acid, and MR inlays were silica coated. After silanization, they were cemented using adhesive resin cement (Variolink Esthetic DC). The specimens were thermo-mechanically aged (1.2×106 cycles, 1.7Hz, 8000 cycles, 5-55°C) and then subjected to load to failure (1 mm/min). Failure types and locations of debondings were classified. Data were statistically analyzed using ANOVA, Mann Whitney U-test and Chi-square tests (α=0.05). Two-parameter Weibull distribution values including the Weibull modulus, scale (m) and shape (0), values were calculated.RESULTS: After aging conditions, no apparent changes were observed in marginal integrity but occlusal wear facets were more common with MR than with L (p<0.001). Material type and the application of IDS significantly affected the results (p=0.013). While group L-IDS- showed the lowest mean fracture strength (1358±506N) among all groups (p<0.05), application of IDS significantly increased the results significantly (L-IDS+: 2035±403N) (p=0.006). MR groups with and without IDS, did not show significant difference (MR-IDS-: 1861±423, MR-IDS+: 1702±596 N) (p=0.498). When materials without IDS are compared, L showed significantly lower results than that of MR (p=0.035). With the application of IDS, no significant difference was noted between L and MR materials (p=0.160). Weibull distribution presented the highest shape (0) for L-IDS+ (5.66) compared to those of other groups (3.01-4.76). Neither the material type (p=0.830), nor the application of IDS (p=0.54) affected the severity of the failure types. In 95% of the cases, the IDS layer left adhered on the tooth surface after fracture tests. In groups where no IDS was used, resin cement remained on the tooth surface in 44% of the cases (p=0.001). No significant differences were observed between the materials with respect to cement remnants or IDS after fracture (p=0.880). The incidence of repairable failure types (83%) was more common with L than with MR (75%) material (p>0.05).CONCLUSION: Immediate dentin sealing improves adhesion, and thereby the fracture strength of inlays made of lithium disilicate but not that multiphase resin composite.
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Rotorcraft access panel from recycled carbon PPS - World 's first flying fully recycled thermoplastic composite application in aerospace Artikel is met toestemming overgenomen uit: Composite Solutions & Technopolymers nr 2. 2020
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The present study deals with the numerical modelling of hybridlaminated composites, which can be proved especially useful in theengineering and maintenance of advanced aerospace primary structures. Thelamina is comprised of continuous carbon fibers, thermosetting epoxypolymer matrix, as well as carbon nanostructures, such as graphene orcarbon nanotubes, inclusions. Halpin-Tsai equations combined with resultsobtained from nanomechanical analysis are employed in order to evaluatethe elastic properties of the carbon nanostructure/polymer matrix. Then, theobtained elastic properties of the hybrid matrix are used to calculate theorthotropic macro-mechanical properties of the unidirectional compositelamina. A hybrid composite plate is modelled as a 2D structure via theutilization of 4-node, quadrilateral, stress/displacement shell finite elementswith reduced integration formulation. The convergence and analysisaccuracy are tested. The mechanical performance of the hybrid compositesis investigated by considering specific configurations and applyingappropriate loading and boundary conditions. The results are compared withthe corresponding ones found in the open literature, where it is possible.
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Laminated composites have important applications in modern aeronautical structures due to their extraordinary mechanical and environmental behaviour. Nevertheless, aircraft composite structures are highly vulnerable to impact damage, either by low-velocity sources during maintenance or high-velocity sources during in-flight events. Even barely visible impact damage induced by low-velocity loading, substantially reduces the residual mechanical performance and the safe-service life of the composites structures. Despite the extensive research already carried out, impact damage of laminated composite structures is still not well understood and it is an area of on-going research. Numerical modelling is considered as the most efficient tool as compared to the expensive and time-consuming experimental testing. In this paper, a finite element model based on explicit dynamics formulations is adopted. Hashin criterion is applied to predict the intra-laminar damage initiation and evolution. The numerical analysis is performed using the ABAQUS ® programme. The employed modelling approach is validated using numerical results found in the literature and the presented results show an acceptable correlation to the available literature data. It is demonstrated that the presented model is able to capture force-time response as well as damage evolution map for a range of impact energies.
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Soil organic carbon (SOC) prediction from remote sensing is often hindered by disturbing factors at the soil surface, such as photosynthetic active and non–photosynthetic active vegetation, variation in soil moisture or surface roughness. With the increasing amount of freely available satellite data, recent studies have focused on stabilizing the soil reflectance by building reflectance composites using time series of images. Although composite imagery has demonstrated its potential in SOC prediction, it is still not well established if the resulting composite spectra mirror the reflectance fingerprint of the optimal conditions to predict topsoil properties (i.e. a smooth, dry and bare soil).
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An important step towards improving performance while reducing weight and maintenance needs is the integration of composite materials into mechanical and aerospace engineering. This subject explores the many aspects of composite application, from basic material characterization to state-of-the-art advances in manufacturing and design processes. The major goal is to present the most recent developments in composite science and technology while highlighting their critical significance in the industrial sector—most notably in the wind energy, automotive, aerospace, and marine domains. The foundation of this investigation is material characterization, which offers insights into the mechanical, chemical, and physical characteristics that determine composite performance. The papers in this collection discuss the difficulties of gaining an in-depth understanding of composites, which is necessary to maximize their overall performance and design. The collection of articles within this topic addresses the challenges of achieving a profound understanding of composites, which is essential for optimizing design and overall functionality. This includes the application of complicated material modeling together with cutting-edge simulation tools that integrate multiscale methods and multiphysics, the creation of novel characterization techniques, and the integration of nanotechnology and additive manufacturing. This topic offers a detailed overview of the current state and future directions of composite research, covering experimental studies, theoretical evaluations, and numerical simulations. This subject provides a platform for interdisciplinary cooperation and creativity in everything from the processing and testing of innovative composite structures to the inspection and repair procedures. In order to support the development of more effective, durable, and sustainable materials for the mechanical and aerospace engineering industries, we seek to promote a greater understanding of composites.
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In the high-tech mechatronics world, aluminum and steel are well known materials, while carbon fiber is often neglected. In the RAAK project 'Composites in Mechatronics', the use of carbon fiber composites in mechatronics is investigated.
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