SBIR Phase I: Innovative Snap Joining of Composite Structures

9861449这个小型企业创新研究第一阶段项目将研究一种连接复合材料和结构的创新概念。目前的复合材料技术严重受制于逻辑和设计方法，而这些方法已被证明对金属是如此成功。事实上，减重材料的结构布局和组装技术仍然与金属结构的既定“轻量化设计方法”惊人地相似。这个项目中要研究的方法有两个重要的组成部分。第一种是通过垂直于层合板平面放置纤维来提高层合复合材料的承载强度。第二个基础是利用复合材料的高应变能力(与金属相比)。该公司将这两个构件集成到一个创新的“卡扣式接头”概念中，不仅允许快速组装，而且能够将主要载荷分散到结构元件中。第一种类型的“卡扣式”接头最近被证明是连接聚合物基复合材料的一种更好的方法。“Snap”连接方法具有极大的商业吸引力。它将给轻质结构领域带来与塑料“卡扣”连接相同的突破。如果成功，由于紧固件的实际消除，该项目可能会导致组装时间减少五分之一。

9861449 This Small Business Innovation Research Phase I project will research an innovative concept for joining composite materials and structures. Current composites technology is heavily burdened by the logic and the design methods which have proven so successful for metals. Indeed the structural layout of reduced mass materials and the assembly techniques remain remarkably similar to the established "lightweight design methods" for metallic structures. The method to be examined in this project has two important building blocks. The first one is to increase the bearing strength of laminated composites by placing fibers perpendicular to the plane of lamination. The second building block is to take advantage of the capacity of composites for high strain (as compared to metals). The firm has integrated both building blocks into an innovative "snap joint" concept which not only allows for quick assembly but is also capable of diffusing primary loads into structural elements. A first type of "snap" joint has recently been demonstrated which appears to be a superior method for joining polymer matrix composite materials. The "snap" joining methodology has extreme commercial appeal. It will bring to the field of lightweight structures the same breakthroughs as "snap" joining did for plastics. If successful, the project could lead to a five-fold reduction in assembly times due to the virtual elimination of fasteners.