Ongoing research into new composite materials is expected to yield major enhancements in performance, weight and cost for the aerospace industry in the coming years. New ways of laying up carbon fiber, such as weaving, are already enabling more complex shapes. Thermoplastic resins are making manufacturing easier, and the practice of integrating several functions into one part is reducing part counts.
“Woven composites account for a large part of the composites’ future,” said Nicolas Carrère, a research engineer with French agency Onera. Instead of being aligned, fibers are spun together into strands. The diameter of one fiber measures close to 10 microns, while that of a strand is roughly one millimeter. “You can then weave the strands in three dimensions, which improves impact resistance,” Carrère emphasized, adding that, after molding, the part is very close to its final shape so little further machining is needed. Snecma has tested woven composites in engine fan blades.
