Fiber Reinforced Laminates in Aircraft Structures: Manufacturing Perspectives
摘要
This chapter discusses manufacturing and machining techniques of fiber reinforced polymers (FRPs) in aircraft structures. Advanced manufacturing processes, such as liquid composite molding (LCM), out-of-autoclave (OoA) curing, and automated tape laying (ATL), are investigated for their role in significantly enhancing production efficiency, dimensional accuracy, and structural integrity of composite components. These techniques enable the fabrication of large, complex, and lightweight structures while reducing labor-intensive operations and minimizing defects such as voids and fiber misalignment. On the machining side, the chapter discusses the critical challenges associated with drilling FRPs, including defects such as delamination, fuzzing, chipping, and fiber-matrix debonding. Such machining-induced damage can degrade the mechanical performance, fatigue life, and reliability of composite components. Therefore, careful optimization of drilling parameters, selection of appropriate tool materials and geometries, and consideration of fiber orientation are essential to achieve high-quality holes and ensure the long-term performance of FRP-based structures.