Development of SiC monofilament reactor for increased efficiency and capacity

TISICS生产连续碳化硅单丝（相对于纤维）增强金属基复合材料；钛或铝合金。这些材料具有优异的比强度和刚度，因此为空间，航空航天和其他质量敏感应用提供了轻质钢的替代品。此外，它的金属基体意味着它在压缩和高温应用中是聚合物复合材料的良好替代品。作为Innovate UK支持的英国合作项目的一部分，TISICS已经开发并生产了一种高性能的碳化硅单丝，用于增强金属基复合材料，而且与唯一具有竞争力的（美国）单丝相比，这种单丝的制造成本要低得多。然而，TISICS试点设施是基于25年前的设计和最初为研发而建立的硬件。本提案旨在开发生产单丝的生产工艺设计和程序。它将建立在数字自动化的最新发展，以解决由于过时的硬件设计而导致的低效率，从而显着提高单丝生产的效率和生产力。项目产出的好处，即减少建造时间和故障，延长批次持续时间，从而提高成本效益，将有助于空间和航空航天部门对材料进行鉴定和吸收。这将使TISICS成为美国以外该类材料的唯一大型供应商，从而在世界舞台上竞争。

TISICS manufactures continuous silicon carbide monofilament (as oppose to tows) reinforced metal matrix composite; titanium or aluminium alloys. These materials have excellent specific strength and stiffness, therefore offer a light weight alternative to steel for space, aerospace and other mass sensitive applications. Additionally, its metal matrix means that it is a good alternative to polymer composite in compressive and high temperature applications. As part of a UK collaborative project supported by Innovate UK, TISICS have developed and now produce a higher performance silicon carbide monofilament for the reinforcement of metal matrix composites and one which has the potential to be manufactured at much lower cost than the only competitive (US) monofilament. However TISICS pilot facility is based on 25 year old designs and hardware originally established for R&D. This proposal aims to develop production process designs and procedures for monofilament that are production ready. It will build of recent developments in digital automation to address the inefficiencies resulting from the outdated hardware design to significantly improve the efficiency and productivity of the monofilament production. The benefits of the project outputs i.e. reduced build time and failures, extended batch duration and therefore increased cost effectiveness will be an enable for material qualification and uptake within the space and aerospace sectors. This will allow TISICS to compete on the world stage by becoming the only large-scale supplier of this class of material outside the US.