High-Performance Composites

JUL 2014

High-Performance Composites is read by qualified composites industry professionals in the fields of continuous carbon fiber and other high-performance composites as well as the associated end-markets of aerospace, military, and automotive.

Issue link: https://hpc.epubxp.com/i/332723

Contents of this Issue

Navigation

Page 42 of 59

J U L Y 2 0 1 4 | 4 1 Lacy admits that Phase 2 "will require a great deal of international invest- ment," which is still being arranged and coordinated. However, the fact that SKA has survived and persisted long enough to produce the radio telescope proto- types that are currently under evaluation shows that the project has developed some momentum. The world might yet see the installation of a very large array of very large carbon fber radio tele- scopes. It worked, says Lacy, and the dish re- mained remarkably close to the toler- ances measured before it was damaged. There remained, however, 21 cracks in the composite structure. These were scarfed, patched, bagged and re-infused at the assembly site under an improvised polymer dome erected over the dish to keep out the cold weather. In the end, he says, NRC-Canada was able to com- pletely restore the dish to specifcation. "It was a blessing in disguise," Lacy says of the wind damage. "The process really demonstrated that it could be repaired." Installation, operation The refurbished dish was ready again to join the support structure, and the two together weigh 8.7 metric tonnes (nearly 19,200 lb). They were lifted onto and at- tached successfully to the pedestal. At press time, the telescope was awaiting installation of the secondary collector (a smaller version of the primary collec- tor, also made at NRC-Canada), as well as the feed support platform that holds the signal-receiving equipment. The sec- ondary collector and the platform are supported by a latticework of carbon f- ber tubes designed and manufactured by Profle Composites. Profle's Wood says these tubes also are made from A&P; Technology's unidirectional woven fber in a tubular preform shape, with elastomeric fbers woven in to give the preforms fexibility for easy ft over man- drels. Infused with epoxy, the tubes are made in three diameters, 75 mm to 100 mm to 151 mm (2.9 to 3.9 to 5.9 inches), in a variety of lengths, with wall thick- nesses that range from 4 mm to 6 mm (0.26 inch to 0.24 inch). After the entire dish is assembled and functional, NRC-Canada will start receiv- ing radio signals as part of the overall testing and evaluation program for SKA. Under the current SKA schedule, a pre- liminary design review will be conducted in fall 2014, followed by critical design review in spring 2015. If NRC-Canada's design is selected, a second prototype will be produced in 2016. Phase 1 will follow, which calls for the manufacture of 150 receivers for installation in South Africa and another 50 to 60 receivers for installation in Western Australia. Phase 2 of SKA calls for a substantial ramp-up in production, culminating in the manufac- ture and installation of a total of 2,500 ra- dio telescopes across the two countries. GET AN EXPERT BEHIND EVERY FIXTURE DR. DONALD F. ADAMS, PRESIDENT STANDS BEHIND EVERY FIXTURE WE SELL Call Don today to get expert advice on your test fixture needs! • Over 40 fixtures in stock, ready to be shipped. • Email or call today to discuss your fixture and custom design needs. Combined Loading Compression Test Fixture ASTM D 6641 Short Beam Shear Test Fixture ASTM D 2344 Iosipescu Shear Test Fixture ASTM D 5379 Boeing Modified D 695 Compression Test Fixture Compress Subpress ASTM D 695 2960 E. Millcreek Canyon Road Salt Lake City, UT 84109 Phone (801) 484.5055 Fax (801) 484.6008 email: wtf@wyomingtestfixtures.com www.wyomingtestfixtures.com Dr. Donald F. Adams President 45 years of Composite Testing Experience W T F yoming est ixtures INC. L E A R N M O R E @ w w w. c o m p o s i t e s w o r l d . c o m Read this article online at short. compositesworld.com/CFDish. View the video of dish transport, damage and repair efforts at http://globalnews. ca/video/1317719/dented-dish-now-back- in-action. 0714HPC IM_NRC-OK.indd 41 6/17/2014 10:58:32 AM

Articles in this issue

Links on this page

Archives of this issue

view archives of High-Performance Composites - JUL 2014