A MANUFACTURING PROCESS HAS BEEN DEVELOPED FOR PRODUCING COST-EFFECTIVE THIN-WALL AND DURABLE TOOLING FOR THE VACUUM BAG AND AUTOCLAVE PROCESS OF FABRICATING ADVANCED FIBROUS COMPOSITES. A MAJOR ADVANTAGE OF THE TOOLING PROCESS IS THE ABILITY TO PRODUCE VERY LARGE TOOLING THROUGH THE IMPLEMENTATION OF THE MODULAR PRINCIPLE OF THE PROCESS. A PROGRAM WAS ESTABLISHED TO DEMONSTRATE THIS IMPORTANT ASPECT OF THE PROCESS. AN ADVANCED FIBROUS COMPOSITE PART-- PRESENTLY BEING PRODUCED--WAS SELECTED FOR THIS DEMONSTRATION. IT IS THE COVER FOR THE MAIN DRIVE SHAFT OF AN IMPORTANT MILITARY HELICOPTER. THE DEMONSTRATION TOOL WOULD BE 15 FT. LONG. THE CAST-TO-SIZE BRONZE TOOLING PROCESS DICTATED THAT THE TOOL BE MADE FROM SIX MAJOR MODULES. THE STEPS OF MANUFACTURING THE TOOL WERE FOLLOWED FROM DESIGN, PATTERNMAKING, CASTING TO FINAL ASSEMBLY. THE COMPLETED TOOLING WAS PROOFED OUT BY MAKING AN ADVAN
| Number of Pages : | 19 |
| Published : | 06/01/1991 |
