I-Corps: Interactive Co-operative Tracking of Heterogeneous Networked Multi-Agent Systems for Advanced Composites Manufacturing and Repair

碳纤维增强塑料（CRFPs），通常称为复合材料，由于其与其他工程材料（如钢）相比具有高强度和低重量，因此越来越成为航空航天，替代能源，海洋和汽车行业等各种市场的组成部分。例如，到2020年，商用飞机中使用的复合材料数量预计将接近50%。此外，复合材料用于通过生产更大的叶片转子来提高风力涡轮机的效率。尽管复合材料具有良好的性能，例如高强度重量比和防潮性，使其成为工程结构的理想选择，但由于在其制造过程中需要大型加压烘箱（高压釜），因此生产复合材料是昂贵的和能源密集的。此外，复合结构的修复更具挑战性，因为修复材料通常需要使用高性能粘合剂而不是按照金属结构的正常实践螺栓连接修复补丁来胶合到受损结构。该项目采用了一种创新的方法，将大大降低成本，提高制造和修复大型/厚复合材料结构的能源效率。由于修复复合材料的挑战性，复合材料行业的废品率明显高于其他制造商。所提出的技术将有助于降低废品率，从而通过限制当前复合材料粘接实践中的主要痛点，以较低的成本使复合材料修复更高效。华盛顿大学已为该方法申请了国际专利，该方法保护了使这一创新成为可能的主要功能。一旦该专利走向商业化，I-Corps团队将在使用领域内独家使用该专利。一个工作原型的温度控制器盒沿着与测试的加热器已经准备就绪，概念验证已经完成。概念验证的结果已发表在同行评审的期刊论文中。该项目的最终目标是更好地了解基于团队的拟议技术商业化的可行性。的深入客户发现工作。在I-Corps计划结束时，该项目的预期活动和可交付成果将是：1）最终确定最小可行产品（MVP），该产品将为该团队提供必要的机动性，以向潜在客户介绍产品; 2）向潜在客户展示曲面的方法; 3）完成Alpha测试并确保Beta就绪;以及4）制定稳健的商业模式和市场战略。

Carbon fiber reinforced plastics (CRFPs), commonly known as composites, are increasingly becoming integral to a variety of markets such as aerospace, alternative energies, marine, and automotive industries due to their high strength and low weight in comparison to other engineering materials such as steel. As a case in point, the amount of composite materials that are used in commercial aircraft is projected to be nearly 50% by 2020. Additionally, composites are used to increase efficiency of wind turbines by producing larger blade rotors. In spite of having favorable properties such as high strength to weight ratio and moisture resistance that makes them ideal for engineering structures, composites are expensive and energy intensive to produce due to the need for large pressurized ovens (autoclaves) in their manufacturing process. Moreover, composite structures are more challenging to repair, as the repair material is often needed to be glued to the damaged structure using a high performance adhesive rather than bolting repair patches per normal practices for metallic structures. The proposed project utilizes an innovative approach that will significantly reduce the cost, and improve the energy efficiency of manufacturing and repairing large/thick composite structures. The scrap rate in the composite industry is significantly higher than other manufacturers due to the challenging nature of repairing composites. The proposed technology will help reduce the scrap rate, thereby making composite repair more efficient at a lower cost by limiting the major pain points in the current composite bonding practices.The University of Washington has filed an international patent for the methodology, which protects the primary functionality that makes this innovation possible. This I-Corps team will have exclusive access to this patent within the field of use once it is moved toward commercialization. A working prototype of a temperature controller box along with tested heaters is ready, and proof of concept has been completed. The results from the proof-of-concept have been published in peer-reviewed journal papers. The ultimate goal of this project is to gain a better understanding on the feasibility of commercializing the proposed technology based on the team?s in-depth customer discovery work. The expected activities and deliverables for this project at the end of the I-Corps program will be to: 1) Finalize the Minimum Viable Product (MVP) that will provide this team the necessary mobility to introduce the product to potential customers; 2) Showcase the methodology for curved surfaces to potential customers; 3) Finish the Alpha test and ensure Beta readiness; and 4) Develop a robust business model and a go-to-market strategy.