MOBILITY ENGINEERING Produced by SAE Media Group
MOBILITY ENGINEERING
Magazines
Magazine cover

Current Issue

Archives

Magazine cover

Current Issue

Archives

Magazine cover

Current Issue

Archives

Magazine cover

Current Issue

Archives

Making Airplane Parts Without the Massive Infrastructure

A new method manufactures autoclave-formulated aerospace-grade advanced carbon fiber composites without utilizing applied pressure from an autoclave. Cross-sections of the composites show that a nanoporous film with morphology-controlled nanoscale capillaries provides the needed pressure at the interfaces in layered polymeric architectures. (Image courtesy of the researchers)

A modern airplane’s fuselage is made from multiple sheets of different composite materials that must be wheeled into warehouse-sized ovens where the layers fuse together to form a resilient, aerodynamic shell.

Engineers have developed a method to produce aerospace-grade composites without enormous ovens and pressure vessels. Instead of placing layers of material inside an oven to cure, the material is wrapped in an ultrathin film of carbon nanotubes (CNTs). When an electric current is applied to the film, the CNTs generated heat, causing the materials within to cure and fuse together.

Source 

Topics:
Aerospace Composites Fastening Joining & Assembly Manufacturing & Prototyping Materials Metals Nanotechnology

More From SAE Media Group

    Top Stories

    INSIDERRF & Microwave Electronics

    Feature Image FAA to Replace Aging Network of Ground-Based Radars

    PodcastsDefense

    Feature Image A New Additive Manufacturing Accelerator for the U.S. Navy in Guam

    NewsSoftware

    Feature Image Rewriting the Engineer’s Playbook: What OEMs Must Do to Spin the AI Flywheel

    Road ReadyPower

    Feature Image 2026 Toyota RAV4 Review: All Hybrid, All the Time

    INSIDERDefense

    Feature Image F-22 Pilot Controls Drone With Tablet

    INSIDERRF & Microwave Electronics

    Feature Image L3Harris Starts Low Rate Production Of New F-16 Viper Shield

    Webcasts