UNDER U.S. AIR FORCE CONTRACT, A TITANIUM MATRIX COMPOSITE PRODUCTION FACILITY WAS ESTABLISHED TO PRODUCE STRUCTURAL COMPONENTS FOR THE X-30 NATION AERO-SPACE PLANE (NASP) AND TO SUPPORT OTHER INITIATIVES REQUIRING HIGH-TEMPERATURE, LIGHTWEIGHT COMPOSITE STRUCTURES. IN AN EFFORT TO AUTOMATE THE CUTTING OF COMPOSITE PREFORMS (TITANIUM FOILS AND SILICON CARBIDE FIBER WOVEN MAT), A CNC LASER CUTTER WITH COMPATIBLE NESTING SOFTWARE WAS IMPLEMENTED. DECREASED MATERIAL HANDLING AND CUTTING TIMES IN ADDITION TO INCREASED MATERIAL UTILIZATION HAVE RESULTED IN REDUCED COSTS AND IMPROVED MATERIAL THRU PUT.
| Number of Pages : | 37 |
| Published : | 06/01/1993 |
