Additive Radar Absorbing Structures with Voxel Control
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Solution Overview
Problem
Conventional radar absorbing structures are costly, time-consuming, and result in high scrap rates due to their inability to control consistency and uniformity, with multi-axis machining leading to high surface roughness that reduces their effectiveness.
Innovation Solution
Additive manufacturing techniques are used to create articles with varying electrical and structural properties by forming a core structure with a matrix material and additives, allowing voxel-by-voxel control of properties and forming structures with specific radar absorbing capabilities.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Shape
If conventional multi-axis machining is used to fabricate radar absorbing structures, then the structures can be formed with desired size, shape, and configuration, but the surface roughness becomes high (over 0.635 mm variation) which reduces effectiveness
Solution Approach 1:
The patent replaces conventional multi-axis mechanical machining with additive manufacturing technology. This substitution eliminates the mechanical cutting processes that generate high surface roughness, instead building the radar absorbing structure layer by layer through material deposition, achieving the desired complex shapes with smooth surfaces and no tool marks.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent changes the manufacturing process parameters from subtractive machining to additive fabrication. By controlling deposition parameters, layer thickness, and build orientation in the additive manufacturing process, the surface roughness is reduced to below 0.635 mm variation while maintaining the required size, shape, and configuration of the radar absorbing structure.
2Quantity of substance
If conventional coating methods are used on reticulated foam, then radar absorbing structures can be fabricated, but the consistency and uniformity of the final structure cannot be controlled
Solution Approach 1:
The patent merges the core structure and radar absorbing material into a single integrated component fabricated by additive manufacturing. Instead of separately manufacturing the reticulated foam core and then applying coating material, the radar absorbing material is deposited directly during the additive manufacturing process, ensuring uniform distribution and consistent properties throughout the entire structure.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent replaces the mechanical coating application process with additive manufacturing material deposition. This substitution allows precise control over material placement, concentration, and distribution, achieving consistent and uniform radar absorbing properties throughout the structure without the variability inherent in conventional coating methods.
3Weight of moving object
If additive manufacturing is used to create structures with varying electrical and structural properties, then weight efficiency and property tunability are improved, but the device complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent applies local quality by varying the electrical and structural properties at different locations within the radar absorbing structure. Through additive manufacturing, the material composition, density, and radar absorbing characteristics can be precisely controlled voxel by voxel, allowing weight optimization in non-critical areas while maintaining high performance in critical regions, thus achieving overall weight efficiency without excessive complexity.
Applied Scientific Principles
This section explains which scientific principles are used to turn an abstract innovation direction into a practical engineering solution.
Function Achieved in This Case
This method enables the fabrication of weight-efficient structures with tunable electrical and structural properties, reducing costs and improving consistency, thereby enhancing the effectiveness of radar absorbing structures.
Implementation Method 1
assemblies formed by additive manufacturing
Implementation Method 2
radar absorbing structures are fabricated by coating a structural material such as a polymeric composite structure core with a material formulated to absorb electromagnetic radiation
Data Source
AI summary
An assembly formed by additive manufacturing comprises a top face sheet, a bottom face sheet, and a core structure between the top face sheet and the bottom face sheet, the core structure comprising a plurality of cells, wherein structural elements of the core structure defining the plurality of cells exhibit at least one electrical property in at least one direction varying from at least one electrical property in a second, different direction and at least one structural property in at least one direction varying from at least one structural property in a second, different direction, wherein at least a portion of the structural elements comprises a radar absorbing structure, the structural elements comprising a matrix material and at least one additive dispersed in or on the matrix material. Related radar absorbing structures and related methods of fabricating the radar absorbing structures are also disclosed.