PROBLEM Develop and fabricate a rate compatible manufacturing solution for Zone 5 Technologies, LLC to build the complex geometry, carbon fiber composite fuselage for its CLEAVER (Cargo Launch Expendable Air Vehicle with Extended Range) platform. OPPORTUNITY Create a solution to manufacture this complex geometry, composite fuselage, focusing on dry carbon fiber and epoxy resin infusion with novel manufacturing methods, to …

RE-ENGINEERING THE COMPOSITE PARTS Through collaboration with ORPC and our partner, A&P Technology (A&P), we re-engineered the ORPC foil and strut to achieve the same structural results of the composite parts made by hand lay-up of pre-preg according to a detailed ply schedule with an autoclave cure to a custom braided, dry fiber ply schedule, combined with resin transfer molding …

PROBLEM How to fabricate a composite fiber shaft in the US eliminating supply chain logistic and lead time issues while meeting targeted cost range. OPPORTUNITY Deliver a solution using a combination of high levels of automation with lower cost materials and manufacturing methods. SOLUTION Used automated fiber preforms, lower cost epoxy resins, and resin transfer molding (RTM) to make high …

SWITCHING FROM METAL The previous enclosure door was fabricated using metal, resulting in an overweight door that caused a tipping issue when the machine was being restocked and required additional counterbalance for safe operation. This made moving the machine difficult so an lighter weight alternative was sought. CONVERTED COMPOSITE ENCLOSURE The customer required a composite solution that was a direct …

Find out how switching from carbon fiber prepreg to resin transfer molding (RTM) can save 67% per composite fuselage PROBLEM – Fabricate a 1/2 scale UAV fuselage at a significantly lower cost with highly similar weight, performance, and quality OPPORTUNITY – Switch to lower cost materials, out-of-autoclave cure, while deploying novel manufacturing technology SOLUTION – Dry carbon fiber socks, liquid …