Design of polymer-based composites with enhanced mechanical properties for the 3D printing of aerospace interior components

大多数飞机的内部面板都是使用铝支架安装的，可以用具有类似机械性能但质量较低的聚合物基复合材料代替。总部位于蒙特利尔的哈钦森公司 ** 为汽车和航空航天市场提供智能解决方案，** 开发了一种轻型发动机扭矩支撑支架，作为铝支架的替代品。该公司的目标是使用熔融沉积成型（FDM）开发飞机内饰板的轻质支架的3D打印，这是热塑性塑料最常用的3D打印技术。3D打印 ** 能够在不需要成型、工具和机加工的情况下制造复杂的结构，这大大降低了 ** 低到中等数量零件的制造成本，并方便了新设计的测试。在这方面，该公司表示非常有兴趣与 ** 多尺度力学实验室（LM 2）合作，开发一种可用于制造 ** 支架的3D打印聚酰胺基复合材料。在为期六个月的项目中，经验丰富的研究助理（RA）Kambiz Chizari博士将 ** 与公司密切合作，开发和优化目标材料的配方。具体的项目目标是：（1）设计新的复合材料配方，以增强聚酰胺（PA）基质的机械性能，（2）实现所开发复合材料的3D打印，（3）测试3D打印试样和支架的机械性能，以及（4）在哈钦森团队的帮助下，规划达到所需航空标准和资格的途径。PA基复合材料将通过使用微型挤出机将PA与短碳纤维（CF）混合来制造，其配方将针对FDM 3D打印进行调整。该项目的成果将有助于哈钦森开发用于飞机内饰板的 ** 轻质3D打印支架，这将有助于 ** 公司进入航空航天零件3D打印市场。该项目还将帮助两位合作者 ** 在未来确定更多创新的研究项目。

The majority of airplanes' interior panels are mounted using aluminum brackets, which could be replaced by**polymer-based composites with similar mechanical properties but lower mass. Hutchinson, a company**providing smart solutions for automotive and aerospace market with a headquarter located in Montreal, has**developed a lightweight engine torque supporting brackets as the replacement for the aluminum brackets. The**company aims to develop the 3D printing of lightweight brackets for the airplane's interior panels using fused**deposition modeling (FDM), the most frequently used 3D printing technique for thermoplastics. 3D printing**enables fabrication of complex structures without molding, tooling and machining, which lowers significantly**the cost of fabrication for low to moderate number parts production and facilitates the testing of new designs.**In this regards, the company has expressed its great interest for a new collaboration with Laboratory for**Multiscale Mechanics (LM2) to develop a 3D printable polyamide-based composite useful for fabrication of**the brackets. During a six-month project, an experienced research associate (RA), Dr. Kambiz Chizari, will**work in close collaboration with the company to develop and optimize the formulation of the targeted material.**The specific project objectives are to (1) design new composite formulations to enhance the mechanical**properties of polyamide (PA) matrix, (2) enable 3D printing of the developed composites, (3) test the**mechanical performance of 3D printed coupons and brackets, and (4) plan the pathway to reach to the required**aeronautical standards and qualifications with the help of Hutchinson team. PA-based composites will be**fabricated by mixing PA with short carbon fibers (CF) using micro-extruder and their formulation will be**adjusted for FDM 3D printing. The outcomes of this project will certainly contribute to the development of**lightweight 3D printable brackets useful for airplane interior panels by Hutchinson, which will help the**company to enter the market of 3D printing of aerospace parts. This project will also help the two collaborators**to define more innovative research projects in the future.