Automated tape placement with in-situ electron beam cure

Automated tape placement (ATP) ia widely used in the aerospace industry to produce large composite structures with complex geometry. An innovative pro cess combining ATP with in-situ electron beam (LB) curing has the potential to decrease composite part costs, especially for large integrated structur es. A group consisting of Science Research Laboratory, Applied Poleramics a nd Northrop-Grumman is currently developing results, tape and electron gun technology for in-situ curing of ATP composites. ([1]) This paper presents mechanical and thermal properties for composite panels fabricated using a simulated in-sun EB cure process, with comparison to pan els cured in a single step EB process. We can also present design tradeoffs for in-situ EB curing systems and describe how the choice of processing ge ometry affects the design. SRI has fabricated an in-situ EB curing system b ased on these design. The portable robotic EB gun will be combined with an existing ATP head at the NASA Marshall Space Flight Center for demonstratio n of the in-situ curing process later this year.