FOR AUTO RTM

NEW PRODUCTS
Product Showcase
» MAINTENANCE & REPAIR EQUIPMENT
Portable automated scarfing/surface prep unit
DMG MORI’s (Leonberg, Germany) mobile-
BLOCK portable five-axis milling unit offers
an automated solution for aircraft composite
maintenance and repair operations. Its carbon
fiber-reinforced polymer (CFRP) frame,
servomotor covers, z-axis slide, adaption
arms and other parts — produced, in part,
by Mubea Carbo Tech (Salzburg, Austria, see
CW’s “Plant Tour” on p. 52) — help to achieve
mobileBLOCK’s very minimal 85-kg mass and
provide vibration damping. For repairs, the unit
is positioned on the damaged aerocomponent
and adapts to flat or complex, contoured
surfaces thanks to flexible ball joints and 12
adjustable vacuum feet, which generate 256
N/ft of vacuum force. Surface detection is
performed using integrated point (for z-axis)
and line (x and y axes) laser scanners, followed
by CNC scarfing (0.01 mm accuracy/repeatability)
and surface cleaning/activation for
subsequent adhesive bonding via an integrated
atmospheric-pressure plasma head. Custom
software determines optimal taper angle based
on laminate thickness, ply count and desired
shape (e.g., round or elliptical). Reportedly,
ultrasonic oscillation of the tool head not only
reduces process forces up to 40% to prevent
delamination and fiber tearing but also
doubles potential feed rates and extends tool
life by preventing build-up along tool edges.
Reportedly, five prototype machines have been
sold, including one each to the German Air
Force and the Composite Technology Center
(Stade, Germany). Series production will
commence in fourth-quarter 2015.
en.dmgmori.com
» NONDESTRUCTIVE INSPECTION EQUIPMENT
Ultrasound inspection hardware upgrade
DolphiTech (Raufoss, Norway) has released a size of damage in carbon fiber composites.
significant hardware upgrade for its DolphiCam Other new functionalities include a new tablet
Ultrasound Camera and accompanying
mode with an improved user interface for
DolphiCam Expert software. The upgrade use on touch-screen devices, plus multiview
reportedly improves the device’s SNR (signalto-noise
ratio) by 12 dB, thus enhancing its views to display on screen, and a new Drilled
support, which enables the user to select what
ability to detect and accurately determine the Hole inspection tool that makes it easy to
size and measure interlaminate
defects in drilled holes. The
tool includes ROI (region of
interest) concepts with increased
frame rates in combination
with imaging methods to aid
focusing on drilled hole damage
close to laminate front and
back surfaces. The DolphiCam
Expert software update is freely
available to existing DolphiCam
customers. Advanced users are
offered the optional DolphiCam
Research software, which adds
post-processing, pulse shaping
and user-defined filtering to the
DolphiCam.
www.dolphitech.com
» STRUCTURAL CORE MATERIALS
PET structural foam
XTX Composites Inc. (Dallas, TX, US)
has completed production and testing
of new structural PET foam with densities
of 100 kg/m 3 and 110 kg/m 3 . XTX
PETCORE is a structural foam designed as
a core material for lightweight sandwich
structures, engineered to carry static and
dynamic loads. Its performance characteristics
are said to be superior, regardless
of exposure to elevated temperatures
during sandwich composite part manufacturing.
XTX PETCORE features 100%
recyclability, good impact resistance, easy
processing with most types of lamination
methods and resins, a high processing
temperature (up to 150°C), good fatigue
strength, low resin absorption, plus
good thermal insulation properties,
laminate-to-core bond adhesion, material
property consistency and thermal forming
capabilities. XTX Composites has a variety
of densities available, as well as FST PET
(flame-/smoke-/toxicity-resistant) foam
upon request.
www.xtxcomposites.com
72 SEPTEMBER 2015
CompositesWorld