Chapters authored
Additive Manufacturing of Polymer Matrix Composites
Due to the developments and the interest of leading aerospace companies, additive manufacturing (AM) has become a highly discussed topic in the last decades. This is mainly due to its capability of producing parts with high geometrical complexity, short manufacturing lead times, and suitability for customization as well as for low-volume production. As is the case with aircraft fuselage body where weight reduction while keeping the demanding mechanical properties is of uttermost importance, modern technology applications sometimes need materials with unusual combinations of properties that cannot be solely provided by metals, polymers, or ceramics. In this case, composite materials combining two or more materials allow having the preferred properties in one material. Thus, AM of composites is becoming more and more important for critical applications. Fiber reinforcement can significantly enhance the properties of resins/polymeric matrix materials. Although continuous fiber composites even present higher mechanical performance, the manufacturing methods for chopped fibers are more commercially available. This chapter reviews the studies in the field involving many aspects spanning from design, process technology, and applications to available equipment.
Part of the book: Aircraft Technology
Utilization of Additive Manufacturing to Produce Tools
In the last decade, customized design and small series production gained importance in various industries. The production of these special tools becomes one of the most important costs for the production process. With the advances in additive manufacturing (AM) technologies, tools can be produced efficiently in short lead times and costs with additive manufacturing. In this chapter, first, an overview on the additive technologies to produces tools, also called rapid tooling, will be given. The advantages as well as disadvantages will be discussed. Following that, on an example of metal forming tools, different materials coupled with different additive production techniques will be compared. Also, most important points will be highlighted to select the most appropriate tool material and manufacturing method. Finally, a methodology to identify the tool life will be suggested, and its validation and verification on a simplified deep drawing geometry will be depicted. The comparison of numerical prediction and experimental results are shown to be in good agreement.
Part of the book: Design and Manufacturing