Redesigning composite repair process using induction heating

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The application of advanced composite materials in the aerospace industry, utilised for their superior mechanical properties, has grown exponentially over the last few decades. The largest limitation of these materials from both an economic and sustainability viewpoint are the inability for time and energy efficient repair. Traditionally, damaged plies are replaced with laminate patches or wet lay ups followed by a long cure cycle over the entire component. Therefore, there is a requirement for a more localised curing method which can produce repair patches cured in-situ in a fast and energy efficient manner.To achieve this, induction heating will be testing by volumetrically heating composite laminates to gain a better understanding of its effects before producing repair patches cured in-situ. Preliminary experiments have achieved rapid heating in carbon fibre based laminates as well as glass fibre laminates containing metallic tufts. These experiments show heating patterns to be highly dependent on the geometry of the induction coil used. There is also a significant non uniformity in the heating of a composite panel both in plane and through thickness which could be improved using novel induction coil geometries as well has highly conductive susceptors.This research aims to optimise the process of induction curing both in terms of rate of cure and uniformity of heating profile. Numerical modelling using the electromagnetic capabilities of Finite Element software, Abaqus, will form the basis for understanding the effect of coil geometries and materials parameters on the heating profile. These models will be used to manufacture an induction coil followed by an optimisation process to cure laminates quickly with high uniformity. This optimised process will be used to manufacture repair patches which will be compared to conventional methods.The key objectives of this project are:-Perform an optimisation of design variables to maximise the efficiency and uniformity of inductive heating using Finite Element modelling.-Manufacture composite laminates using optimised process based on modelling.-Apply experimental methods to produce repair patches cured in-situ.The results of this work should allow manufacture of composite repair patches which can be cured in situ which will allow for repair of large laminate components significantly more time and energy efficient manner