Republic of the Philippines

PHILIPPINE STATE COLLEGE OF AERONAUTICS

Piccio Garden, Villamor, Pasay City

INSTITUTE OF ENGINEERING AND TECHNOLOGY

AIRCRAFT MAINTENANCE DEPARTMENT
First Semester, Academic Year 2016-2017

AMT 216- AIRCRAFT MATERIALS,CONSTRUCTION AND

REPAIR II (COMPOSITE)

Assignment No. 1
Introduction of Composite
PRELIMINARY PERIOD

NAME: KIM HARVEY V. LABIGA DATE: 05/14/17 PAGE NO. RATING:

INSTRUCTOR: MS. SHEILA MAY D. MOTOS CRS/YR/SEC: AAMT 2-3

 Republic of the Philippines
PHILIPPINE STATE COLLEGE OF AERONAUTICS
Piccio Garden, Villamor, Pasay City
INSTITUTE OF ENGINEERING AND TECHNOLOGY
First Semester, Academic Year 20

What is Composite?

A Composite material (also called a composition material or shortened to composite, which is the
common name) is a material made from two or more constituent materials with significantly
different physical or chemical properties that, when combined, produce a material with
characteristics different from the individual components. The individual components remain
separate and distinct within the finished structure. The new material may be preferred for many
reasons: common examples include materials which are stronger, lighter, or less expensive when
compared to traditional materials. More recently, researchers have also begun to actively include
sensing, actuation, computation and communication into composites, which are known as Robotic
Materials.

What are the advantages and disadvantages of using composite?

ADVANTAGES

Light Weight - Composites are light in weight, compared to most metals. Their lightness
is important in aircraft, where less weight means better fuel efficiency (more miles to the
gallon).

Strength Related to Weight - Strength-to-weight ratio is a materials strength in

relation to how much it weighs. Some materials are very strong and heavy, such as steel.
Composite materials can be designed to be both strong and light. This property is why
composites are used to build airplaneswhich need a very high strength material at the
lowest possible weight.

Corrosion Resistance - Composites resist damage from the weather and from harsh
chemicals that can eat away at other materials. Outdoors, they stand up to severe weather
and wide changes in temperature.

Design Flexibility - Composites can be molded into complicated shapes more easily than
most other materials. This gives designers the freedom to create almost any shape or
form.

Part Consolidation - A single piece made of composite materials can replace an entire
assembly of metal parts. Reducing the number of parts in a machine or a structure saves
time and cuts down on the maintenance needed over the life of the item.
 Republic of the Philippines
PHILIPPINE STATE COLLEGE OF AERONAUTICS
Piccio Garden, Villamor, Pasay City
INSTITUTE OF ENGINEERING AND TECHNOLOGY
First Semester, Academic Year 20
Dimensional Stability - Composites retain their shape and size when they are hot or
cool, wet or dry. They are used in aircraft wings, for example, so that the wing shape
and size do not change as the plane gains or loses altitude.

Radar Transparent - Radar signals pass right through composites, a property that
makes composites ideal materials for use anywhere radar equipment is operating,
whether on the ground or in the air. Composites play a key role in stealth aircraft, such
as the U.S. Air Forces B-2 stealth bomber, which is nearly invisible to radar.

Durable - Structures made of composites have a long life and need little maintenance.
We do not know how long composites last, because we have not come to the end of the
life of many original composites. Many composites have been in service for half a
century.

DISADVANTAGES

Delamination - Since composites are often constructed of different ply layers into a
laminate structure, they can "delaminate" between layers where they are weaker.

High Cost - They are a relatively new material, and as such have a high cost.

Complex Fabrication - The fabrication process is usually labor intensive and complex,
which further increases cost.

Damage inspection - Delamination and cracks in composites are mostly internal and
hence require complicated inspection techniques for detection.

Composite to metal joining - Metals expand and contract more on variations in

temperature as compared to composites. This may cause an imbalance at joinery and
may lead to failure.
 Republic of the Philippines
PHILIPPINE STATE COLLEGE OF AERONAUTICS
Piccio Garden, Villamor, Pasay City
INSTITUTE OF ENGINEERING AND TECHNOLOGY
First Semester, Academic Year 20

Application of composite in aircraft structure

Common composite materials used on airplanes include fiberglass, carbon fiber, and fiber-
reinforced matrix systems, or any combination of any of these.

Advantages

Most of the time, the use of composite materials on an aircraft structure reduces weight. Fiber-
reinforced matrix systems are stronger than traditional aluminum found in most aircraft, and
they provide a smooth surface and increase fuel efficiency.

Composite materials don't corrode as easily at other types of structures. They don't crack from
metal fatigue and they hold up well in structural flexing environments. Composite designs also
last longer than aluminum, which means fewer maintenance and repair costs.

Disadvantages

Composite materials dont break easily, but that makes it hard to tell if the interior structure has
been damaged at all.

In contrast, aluminum bends and dents easily, making it easy to detect structural damage; the
same damage is much harder to detect with composite structures. Repairs can also be more
difficult when a composite surface is damaged.

The resin used in composite material weakens at temperatures as low as 150 degrees, making it
important for these aircraft to avoid fires. Fires involved with composite materials can release
toxic fumes and micro-particles into the air. Temperatures above 300 degrees can cause
structural failure.

Finally, composite materials can be expensive, but the high initial costs are typically offset by
long-term cost savings.