New Processing of Composite Grids for Aerospace Applications

Composite materials exhibit their highest stiffness and strength in unidirectional format. Any deviation from this lead to lower fiber volume fractions, and lower properties. Composites grids can be exceptionally stiff and strong if their ribs are umdircct.üii|ü. Several approaches have been published in recent years. Modeling of mull.c„cct.onal grids is simple because it follows the assumptions of netting analysis; i.e., all ribs aic beams Grids are networks of ribs joined at their nodes. It will be shown that grids oiler an attractive balance between properties and manufacturing. For shells ol revolution, one generic manufacturing process, called TRIG, shows several advantages over other processes. Cost effective applications that can be derived from TRIG will be discussed.