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.

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4 0 | H I G H - P E R F O R M A N C E C O M P O S I T E S INSIDE MANUFACTURING similar and contains each socket's other half. The bolt's ball, coated with mold release to keep it "free" in the socket, is placed in the DRC inner and then covered with the DRC outer, thus completing the ball-and-socket joint. These two halves are then bonded together with a methac- rylate adhesive (see Step 9, p. 39). The as- sembled DRC is then bonded into its own pocket in the dish rim, also with methac- rylate adhesive. When complete, the dish is equipped with eight DRCs, each with either one or two threaded bolts protruding and ready to be attached to support tubes during dish erection. Lacy says that after a dish is installed and oriented on the support structure per specifcation, CHOCK- FAST ORANGE, a poured-in-place epoxy chocking compound from ITW Polymers Coatings (Montgomeryville, Pa.), will be injected into each ball joint to provide rigidity and increase strength. "The ft [of the ball joint] is really quite good," Lacy explains. "But since we want the best possible positional accuracy, any move- ment in any joint is detrimental to this alignment." A little wind NRC-Canada completed the primary dish for DVA-1 in fall 2013. The next step was to transport the assembled dish, weigh- ing 2.8 metric tonnes (about 6,170 lb), via helicopter to its pedestal, which had been constructed in a secluded "radio- quiet" area about 5 km/3 miles from Penticton. However, as it approached its destination, tethered beneath the heli- copter in a horizontal position, a sudden and relatively violent gust of wind fipped it into vertical position. When the gust abated, the dish fell back into its original horizontal position. Although it was still tethered to the helicopter, the dish had buckled, leaving it badly misshapen and deformed (see "Learn More"). Initial reaction to the dish damage at NRC-Canada was pessimistic. "Most people thought it was a write-off," says Lacy. But as the organization studied its options, repair seemed more and more viable. The frst step was to "pop" the dish back into shape with the help of a local industrial-services company that deploys infatable bags to help move cars and trucks involved in accidents. The bags were inserted under the dish and infated to "push" the deformed sections back into their original shape. Installing the repaired dish The DVA-1, attached to its primary support structure and now weighing 8.7 metric tonnes (9,200 lb), is lifted into place for attachment to the pedestal on which it will operate during the testing and evaluation phase. Mounted and ready for secondary dish attachment NRC-Canada's DVA-1 primary reflector, installed on its pedestal near Penticton, British Columbia, Canada. The secondary dish and hardware platform will be installed during the summer of 2014. Source: NRC-Canada Source: NRC-Canada 0714HPC IM_NRC-OK.indd 40 6/17/2014 10:59:05 AM

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