Reduced quality assurance testing of commercial aircraft prepreg systems

摘要

Quality assurance testing of prepreg materials in the commercial airplane environment is very complex and a major cost constituent of aircraft composites. In order to reduce and standardize testing, material testing procedures, key characteristics, transport conditions, these effects on the material properties were studied for a widely used glass fiber prepreg system. Besides testing redundancy, several deficiencies ranging from logistical to technical problems in current quality assurance system were identified. Environmental studies revealed that tack, flow, and gel time tests were good a means for identifying aging related phenomena. A model was developed that allowed the prediction of prepreg tack for known thermal histories providing an effective tool to eliminating QA testing on the purchaser side. Together with an improved monitoring technique, this could enable an effective avenue for reduced testing procedures transferable to other prepreg and adhesive materials.