Resistance Heating Element for Composite Panel Repair
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing methods for repairing aircraft outer panels using composite materials face challenges in heating the repairing material without overheating the base material, leading to insufficient hardening and poor bonding, while also requiring time-consuming drying processes in honeycomb core sandwich structures.
Innovation Solution
Incorporating a resistance heating element within the repairing material, which generates heat through electricity supply, allowing for efficient thermal energy transfer to thermosetting or thermoplastic resins, minimizing thermal diffusion and eliminating the need for external heat sources and drying processes.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Temperature
If an external heat source is used to heat the repairing material, then the repairing material can be heated, but the base material may be changed in quality due to overheating from thermal diffusion
Solution Approach 1:
The heating function is localized to only where needed - the repairing material - by embedding the heating element directly within it. This creates a localized heat source that does not affect surrounding areas (the base material), resolving the contradiction between heating the repairing material and preventing base material damage.
Solution Approach 2:
The heating element is nested within the repairing material structure itself. This nested configuration allows the heat source to be contained within the target object, enabling precise thermal control that heats only the intended material without affecting surrounding components.
2Object-affected harmful factors
If the output of the external heat source is decreased to avoid base material overheating, then base material quality is preserved, but insufficient heating is applied to the repairing material resulting in poor hardening
Solution Approach 1:
By making the heat source localized within the repairing material, the system can deliver high heat output precisely where needed without causing harmful effects to surrounding areas. This resolves the contradiction by allowing high heating power for reliable bonding while preventing base material damage through spatial localization.
Solution Approach 2:
The repairing material itself acts as an intermediary that contains and directs the heat output. The embedded heating element transfers energy to the repairing material, which then cures in place, ensuring that the thermal energy is confined to the intended zone and does not affect the base material quality.
3Temperature
If external heat sources are used for heating, then the repairing material can be heated, but time-consuming drying processes are required for honeycomb core sandwich structures
Solution Approach 1:
The localized heating within the repairing material allows for concentrated thermal energy delivery to specific areas that need curing, rather than heating entire structures. This selective heating reduces the time required for drying and curing processes in honeycomb core sandwich structures by focusing energy only where repair is needed.
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 ensures secure bonding of the repairing material to the base material without quality changes due to overheating and reduces repair time by minimizing thermal diffusion and eliminating the need for drying processes, particularly in honeycomb core sandwich structures.
Implementation Method 1
a heating-hardening step of heating and hardening the thermosetting resin by causing the resistance heating element to generate heat through supply of electricity thereto
Data Source
AI summary
The present invention sufficiently heats a repairing material while preventing change in quality of a base material provided with the repairing material so as to securely bond the repairing material to a repair target portion. The repair method of the present invention, in order to repair a repair target portion 14 existing in an outer panel 1, includes: a repairing material disposing step of disposing a repairing patch 21 including a resistance heating element 23 and a carbon fiber reinforced resin, and an adhesive 22A including a thermosetting resin before being hardened for bonding the repairing patch 21 on the repair target portion 14; and a heating-hardening step of heating and hardening the thermosetting resin of the adhesive 22A by causing the resistance heating element 23 to generate heat through supply of electricity thereto.