FAA Center of Excellence
In Collaboration with: Wichita State University, Northwestern University, Purdue University, University of California at Los Angeles, Tuskegee University, University of Washington, Washington State University, Oregon State University and Edmonds Community College
Vacuum-assisted resin transfer molding (VARTM) is a relatively low-cost process that yields high volume fractions of reinforcement and can be readily applied to large-scale structures. However, VARTM has failed to provide the repeatability and control of variability needed for many aircraft applications. CCM's role in this effort has been to investigate these sources of variability with the long term objective of achieving repeatability equivalent to autoclave processing, with specific properties that are close to those of autoclave-processed parts, to routinely produce aircraft-quality VARTM parts at reduced cost.
CCM has been working with industry, including materials suppliers and aerospace companies, to achieve these objectives. Center researchers collaborated with Hexcel and Cytec to produce toughened epoxies for aerospace applications and with W.L. Gore to optimize membrane materials used in manufacturing. Results were transitioned to several of the major aerospace companies—including Boeing, EADS, Dassault, and Embraer—in an effort to improve VARTM manufacturing so that it could yield aerospace quality parts in a repeatable process.
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"One hundred years after the first flight, this nation remains committed to
leading the world in aviation technology research and development," said U.S. Secretary of Transportation Norman Y. Mineta. "This new center will help lead America into its second century of aviation excellence."
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