High Volume Manufacture and Inspection Processes for Composite Pipes

热塑性复合材料因其韧性、易于回收和无需高压釜即可大批量生产的能力而越来越受到青睐。复合管的大批量制造和检测工艺项目旨在开发新的制造和检测工艺，以生产具有成本效益的热塑性复合管，并完全合格的材料。该财团由Sigma Precision Components（牵头），Pultrex，Laser Optical Engineering和曼彻斯特大学组成。该项目将开发一种制造高质量热塑性复合管的制浆工艺和一种检查缺陷的半自动激光剪切成像检测系统。碳/热塑性材料也将是第一个完全用于航空航天用途的材料之一。合作伙伴需要确保工艺能够实现成本和生产率目标，同时保持产品质量。Sigma是一家航空航天金属管组件制造商，开发了可用于轻质管组件和扭矩轴的热塑性复合管技术。为了充分利用市场机会，Sigma将执行一个工作包，通过一系列的试样测试来完全鉴定热塑性复合材料（由NCAMP监督和发布）。目前，在行业的复合材料手册17中公布的热塑性复合材料很少。此外，需要降低管的制造成本，通过其他两个工作包来解决。虽然纸浆模塑是一种用于制造各种热固性复合材料型材的成熟技术，但Pultrex（一家总部位于英国的纸浆模塑设备制造商）将开发创新的解决方案，以适应热塑性管的工艺，特别是加热和冷却系统以及固结模具设计。曼彻斯特大学将通过从实验室试点过程中转移知识来提供帮助，并保持对教学目的的密切学术兴趣。Pultrex还预计该设备在汽车等其他行业的潜在销售。对于第三个工作包，激光光学工程将调整其现有的激光剪切系统之一，以检查复合材料管的缺陷，如夹杂物，孔隙和分层。该系统将使用特殊的激光器、摄像机和半自动图像分析，比传统的C扫描技术更快地检查管道。他们的创新将集中在加固一个坚固的系统，既用于工业用途，也用于在维护期间检查飞机上的复合结构，甚至是风力涡轮机叶片。

Thermoplastic composites are gaining favour in place of traditional thermoset versions for their toughness, ease of recycling and ability to be manufactured in high volume without autoclaves. The High Volume Manufacture and Inspection Processes for Composite Pipes project aims to develop novel manufacturing and inspection processes for production of cost-effective thermoplastic composite tube, and to fully qualify the material.The consortium comprises Sigma Precision Components (lead), Pultrex, Laser Optical Engineering and University of Manchester. The project will develop a pultrusion process to make high-quality thermoplastic composite tube and a semi-automatic laser shearography inspection system to check for flaws. The carbon /thermoplastic material will also be one of the first to be fully characterised for aerospace use. The partners will need to ensure the processes are capable of achieving cost and productivity targets while maintaining product quality.Sigma is a manufacturer of metallic aerospace pipe assemblies and has developed thermoplastic composite tube technology that can be used for lightweight pipe assemblies and torque shafts. To fully capitalise on market opportunities, Sigma will perform a work package to fully qualify the thermoplastic composite material (overseen and published by NCAMP) through a series of coupon tests. Currently there are very few thermoplastic composites published in the industry's Composite Materials Handbook 17. In addition, the manufacturing costs for the tube need to be reduced, addressed by the two other work packagesAlthough pultrusion is an established technology for making various thermoset composite sections, Pultrex (a UK based manufacturer of pultrusion equipment) will develop innovative solutions to adapt the process for thermoplastic tubes, in particular the heating and cooling systems and consolidation die design. University of Manchester will assist by transferring knowledge from their laboratory pilot process, and maintain close academic interest for teaching purposes. Pultrex also anticipates potential sales of this equipment in other sectors such as automotive.For the third work package, Laser Optical Engineering will adapt one of their existing laser shearography systems to inspect composite tubes for flaws such as inclusions, porosity and delamination. The system will use special lasers, cameras and semi automatic image analysis to inspect the tube more quickly than traditional C scanning techniques. Their innovation will focus on miniaturising a rugged system for both industrial use and for inspecting composite structures on aircraft during maintenance, or even wind turbine blades.