Heating Fiber-Reinforced Components for Damage-Free Fastening
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Solution Overview
Problem
The assembly of fiber-reinforced structural components, particularly in aircraft construction, faces challenges in connecting these components without damaging the fibers, as traditional drilling methods can cause fiber damage or separation.
Innovation Solution
A method involving heating the fiber-reinforced components with a heating device to soften the thermoplastic matrix, allowing the fibers to be shifted and adapted during penetration by a fastening device, which can then create a penetration while maintaining ductile material properties and potentially fusing with the components for an integral connection.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Ease of manufacture
If traditional drilling methods are used to create penetrations in fiber-reinforced structural components, then the components can be connected, but the fibers are damaged or separated
Solution Approach 1:
The patent applies parameter changes by heating the fiber-reinforced structural components to elevated temperatures before creating the penetration. This temperature parameter change softens the matrix material, allowing the fastening device to pass through without damaging or separating the fibers. The thermal parameter modification fundamentally changes the material's mechanical properties during the drilling process.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent implements preliminary action by heating the components before the penetration process. This pre-heating step prepares the material in advance by softening the matrix, so that when the fastening device is introduced, the fibers are already in a state that allows them to be displaced rather than broken. The preliminary thermal treatment prevents the harmful effect of fiber damage.
2Manufacturing precision
If the fibers are shifted and adapted during penetration, then fiber damage is reduced, but the processing time increases due to heating
Solution Approach 1:
The patent merges the heating process with the penetration process by introducing the fastening device during the heating phase. Rather than heating, cooling, then drilling in separate steps, the fastening device is introduced while the material is being heated and is still soft. This combines thermal treatment and mechanical penetration into a unified process sequence, reducing total processing time while maintaining fiber integrity.
3Manufacturing precision
If the matrix is softened by heating, then fibers can be shifted without damage, but the structural strength temporarily decreases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent applies the skipping principle by rapidly introducing the fastening device during the brief window when the matrix is softened but before significant strength degradation occurs. The process moves quickly through the vulnerable state, completing the penetration while the material is still relatively stable, then allowing the matrix to re-solidify and regain full strength. This minimizes the time the structure spends in a weakened state.
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 reduces fiber damage, allows for a load-optimized connection, and integrates the drilling and fastening processes into a single step, improving processing quality and reducing costs and installation time.
Implementation Method 1
the first fiber-reinforced structural component and the second fiber-reinforced structural component are heated by means of a heating device
Implementation Method 2
The matrix, in which the fibers of the fiber-reinforced structural components are laid or embedded, particularly can be softened by heating the fiber-reinforced structural components
Data Source
AI summary
This pertains to a method for connecting fiber-reinforced structural components. In a first step of the method, a first fiber-reinforced structural component and a second fiber-reinforced structural component are supplied. In another step, the first fiber-reinforced structural component and the second fiber-reinforced structural component are heated by means of a heating device. A penetration through the first fiber-reinforced structural component and the second fiber-reinforced structural component is produced in another step by means of a fastening device. In another step, the first fiber-reinforced structural component is connected to the second fiber-reinforced structural component by means of the fastening device. This furthermore pertains to a structural aircraft element.