The Second Annual Review of the NASA University Leadership Initiative Composite Manufacturing Technologies for Aerospace Performance at Automotive Production Rates program was held at the University of Delaware Center for Composite Materials on October 13, 2022.
A team led by the University of Delaware Center for Composite Materials (UD-CCM) is addressing technology barriers and education/workforce training needs in composites manufacturing that provides aerospace performance at high production rates for Urban Air Mobility (UAM) and commercial air platforms. Our approach for manufacturing of complex geometry composite parts uses our highly aligned short fiber technology (called TuFF or Tailorable universal Feedstock for Forming) that can be stretch formed while retaining continuous fiber equivalent properties and aerospace quality.
Overview talks on UAM Technology needs and TuFF processing, microstructure, material formats and material properties (static and fatigue) will be presented. Technical sessions will provide updates on micromechanics of aligned short fiber composites, forming of aligned short fiber composites and part process development.