Aging Aircraft Research Laboratory - Wichita State University - National Institute for Aviation Research
In recent years, composites have replaced aluminum for many aerospace applications because of their superior specific strength and stiffness properties. First developed for military applications, composites now play a significant role in a wide range of current-generation aerospace systems.
NIAR’s Composites and Advanced Materials Laboratory plays a major role in the aviation industry. Researchers and technicians in the Composites Lab perform lay-up and bonding operations and work directly with researchers in the Structures & Fatigue Laboratory to understand the effects of heat, moisture, contamination and repairs on advanced materials. The lab also provides regularly scheduled hands-on training workshops.
CAPABILITIES
Lay-up
Material equivalency testing
Material qualification testing
Static and cyclic testing (ASTM and non-standard)
Physical testing
Quality assurance testing
Investigation of adhesive behavior
Bonded repairs
Controlled impact damage
Damage tolerance of sandwich panels
Aging studies
Specimen conditioning
Environmental testing (-200F to +600F)
Adhesive characterization of fatigued and damaged bonded joints
Full-scale structural testing
Effects of defects and NDI standards
Specimen machining (ASTM and non-standard)
Test fixture fabrication
NDI of test coupons
Strain gauging and specimen QC
Fourier Transform Infrared Spectroscopy/ High Performance Liquid Chromatography
FACILITIES & EQUIPMENT
7,420 sq. ft. laboratory
Autoclave (3’ x 5’, 800 degrees F, 200 psi)
Environmental chambers for temperature and humidity conditioning
Dynamic mechanical analysis units
Differential scanning calorimetry
Thermogravimetric analyzer
Optical microscope with video analysis
Stereoscope x350 with hand-held inspection unit
Filament winding machine (4-axis)
Programmable walk-in oven (8’ L x 5.5’ W x 6’ H, 500 degrees F)
Programmable oven (4’ L x 3’ W x 6’ H, 500 degrees F)
Ultrasonic NDI unit to perform pulse echo and TTU scans with curved panel capability
RTM resin pumps
Walk-in freezers (-20 degrees F)
Lay-up room
Machine shop specialized for composite material processing
Instron Dynatup 8250 with environmental chamber X-ray diffractometer
Coordinate measuring machine
Pheonix 4000 Fully-automated specimen polisher and grinder
JEOL 6460LV Scanning Electron Microscope (SEM) with Energy Dispersive Spectroscopy (EDS)
4' by 4' WaterjetPRO cutting table with 30HP 60,000psi max pump and UltraPierce Vacuum Assist