FiberSIM® Streamlines the Repair of Composite Parts for the Aerospace Industry
With the increased use of composites in military and commercial airplanes, the replacement and repair of composite parts is rapidly becoming an industry in its own right. Many airlines and suppliers are faced with a rapidly increasing workload of composite design and manufacturing for reverse engineering OEM parts, creating enhanced versions of OEM parts, and repairing damaged composite parts including fuselage panels, wing skins and engine ducts.
Repair design is becoming as important as the original 3D definition of the composite part. This is especially true for large composite aircraft programs as the synergy between initial design and repair is critical for accurately and efficiently repairing composite structures onboard composite airliners and military transports.
Based on the original composite part definition and the shape of the damaged area, FiberSIM® supports the definition of ply locations and orientations for the ply patch required for the repair procedure. This includes the creation of flat patterns in the exact shape needed for cutting prepreg or dry fabric. Producibility simulation of the plies and confirmation of minimal deformation or deviation ensures that original strength and stiffness properties are restored.
Using FiberSIM in coordination with laser projection systems prevents errors in the ply layup, confirms ply material, orientation and location, and facilitates more accurate and reliable repair work. And the documented repair methods and ply templates created with FiberSIM can be reused for similar repairs.
Evidence of the value of FiberSIM in the repair process is provided by the Delta Airlines Technical Operations Division, which figures it saves over $100,000 year on repairs by using FiberSIM.
“(FiberSIM) has increased our efficiency for ply design and importing flat pattern configuration to the cutting machine for quick repair or to manufacture quality accurate plies,” said Tod Herrigton, TOC Support Engineer. “The time has easily been cut in half, if not better, by this (software). The interface is much simpler for the user, and the training needed is less intensive.”
Learn more about FiberSIM. Contact us now.