Prefabricated Composite Repair Components for Variable Member Profiles
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Solution Overview
Problem
The repair of damaged composite structures, such as those made from carbon fiber-reinforced plastics, is time-consuming and expensive due to the need for custom-fabricated parts that match unique geometries, posing challenges in inventory management and logistical issues for industries like aerospace.
Innovation Solution
A system of prefabricated repair components with a first and second flange section and a repair section, featuring an internal cross-sectional profile that matches the external profile of the composite member, allowing for quick attachment via bolts and optional shims for additional support, enabling repair of multiple composite members with varying geometries.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Manufacturing precision
If custom-fabricated repair parts are used to match unique composite member geometries, then repair precision and structural integrity are improved, but repair time and manufacturing cost increase significantly
Solution Approach 1:
The repair components are prefabricated with standardized internal cross-sectional profiles in advance, before the actual repair is needed. This preliminary preparation eliminates the need for custom fabrication during repair operations, thereby reducing repair time while maintaining the required profile matching precision through the standardized design that accommodates multiple composite member geometries
Solution Approach 2:
The standardized repair components are designed with universal applicability to match multiple different composite member profiles. The internal cross-sectional profile of the repair component can accommodate various external profiles of composite members, allowing a single standardized component design to serve multiple repair scenarios, thus reducing both time and cost compared to custom fabrication
2Adaptability or versatility
If custom-fabricated repair parts are created for each damaged component, then geometric compatibility is improved, but inventory complexity and logistical burden increase
Solution Approach 1:
The repair components are designed with standardized internal cross-sectional profiles that can accommodate multiple different external profiles of composite members. This universal design allows a limited set of standardized repair components to be used across various composite member types, maintaining geometric compatibility while significantly reducing inventory complexity and logistical burden compared to maintaining custom parts for each component type
Solution Approach 2:
The standardized repair components are designed with adjustable parameters, such as the internal cross-sectional profile dimensions, that can accommodate variations in composite member geometries. By changing these parameters within the standardized design framework, the same basic component design can be adapted to different geometric requirements without requiring entirely custom parts for each scenario
3Productivity
If prefabricated standardized repair components are used, then repair efficiency and cost-effectiveness are improved, but adaptation to varying composite member geometries becomes more challenging
Solution Approach 1:
The standardized repair components incorporate adjustable design parameters, particularly in the internal cross-sectional profile dimensions, that enable adaptation to various composite member geometries. This parameter variability within the standardized framework allows efficient repair operations while maintaining the necessary geometric adaptability for different member types
Data Source
AI summary
The present disclosure provides repair systems, repair components, and methods for repairing composite structure systems. The repair systems include using a set number of prefabricated repair components which are fabricated to repair multiple composite members in a composite structure system.