Aerospace Composite and FEA

Assignment - Manufacturing and Analysis of Lightweight Fuselage

Learning outcome 1: Evaluate factors which influence the mechanical properties of a composite including the enumeration of the advantages and drawbacks of composites over monolithic materials.

Learning outcome 2: Identify and categorize the different types of composites, fibres, and matrices, including manufacturing processes as well as the applications of composites in aircrafts (GLARE, CFRP, SiC woven matrix).

Learning outcome 3: Demonstrate a comprehensive knowledge and understanding of mathematical skills and computer simulation techniques (Finite Element Method) relevant to the Aerospace engineering discipline, and an appreciation of their limitations.

Learning outcome 4: Examine and evaluate the strength of composite materials and their mechanics at different fibre orientation and volume fraction.

Assignment Brief

Technical Report - Manufacturing and Analysis of UAV fuselage

For your coursework, you will be assigned to one of the two groups to work on an experimental activity that consists of three tasks.

In the present assignment, you are asked to work with your team on laboratory and analysis activity, illustrating and discussing the results achieved in the different tasks of your activity, as described below.

You should work within the group you will have been allocated for the different tasks of your practical activity, but you should submit an individual report. All necessary information is uploaded to the assignment folder on the canvas portal.

The steps are as follows:

1. Aeroelasticity

Open the fuselage CAD model provided and explore the type of stress loadings that occurred during the flight by applying loading parameters into Solid Work software. You should conclude a concept for laminating pattern and conclude the prepreg type and direction of lamination in the next step.

2. The manufacturing process of UAV fuselage.

You will apply the concept of stacking sequence of the prepreg to the fuselage tool using a combination of foam as a core and prepreg as the skin. it will be either left or right mold depending on which group you have been allocated. You will physically gain experimental expertise by applying the prepreg sheet on the mold. The process will include molding of Rohacell 71-IG-F foam as a core and with layers of prepreg (as a skin) being added with assigned stacking sequence.

The part will be oven-cured using vacuum bagging by a technician at 100°C for 4 hours. Your ½ fuselage will be inspected in the next step.

3. Inspection
You will inspect your final weight (<400 g), Wing Aerofoil geometrical precision, and overall fuselage axial stiffness using a bending rig in the lab.

Technical Report

Report the results from your working-group activity in tasks B, C, and D, in a technical report (word limit: 3000 words), the assessment criteria will be as the following the structure illustrated below and answering the indicated questions:

• Section A
Practical lab expertise and engagement Lab engagement and skill developed during the lamination process and PC lab. This assessment will include questions during the lab and observation will be made during the lamination process.

• Section B (FEA assessment)
Methodology of applying reasonable stress loading to the fuselage, these stresses should occure due to aerolasticity of the aircraft in the air only and justification made for values and direction. Brief description to each loading accompained by one stress image per each loading will be enough. List your stress results in table format, ignore strain and deformation and use material steel by default. This is because we have problem with solidwork composite material section.

• Section C ( Bending Testing Assessment)
Physical inspection criteria for right and left fuselage : 1. weight, 2. Center of Gravity (GC), 3. stiffness from applying bending load and measure the deflection at the CG. Summerise your bending results finding for both halves of the fuselage.

• Section D (Reflection)
Discuss the results reflecting on the physical reasons for the differences observed between theory and practical, and between the experimental and theoretical results. Reflect on what things went wrong and what things you do to improve the accuracy of the process.

Attachment:- Aerospace Composite and FEA.rar