Comparison of Composite Materials Supplied By Local Vendor and With

Approved Aviation Vendor for Aircraft Component.

CHAPTER 1

1.0 Background
A composite material is a combination of two or more distinct materials
into one with the intent of suppressing undesirable properties of the
constituent materials in favour of desirable properties. The fabrications of
constituent materials for fiber reinforce polymer composites, namely
matrix and fiber. Over the past several decades, the uses of composite
have increased in various applications.

In aviation industry, composite panel have been used at aircraft to

increase strength to weight ratio especially in main and secondary
structure component. According to source from Hexcel Corporation, more

than 50% components in aircraft Airbus A400M and aircraft Boeing 787
are made from composite.

One of common secondary structure aircraft component made from

composite. A radome is a short form from word radar and dome is a cover
or structure placed over an antenna that protects the antenna from its
physical environment. Ideally, the radome is a radio frequency (RF)
transparent so that it does not degrade the electrical performance of the
enclosed antenna in any way. An aircraft radome usually refers to the
dome - shape structure encapsulating the antenna and protects radar
antennas on aircraft from wind or aerodynamic load, bird strike impact
and lightning strike. The structural integrity of aircraft nose radome has
constantly been a major concern as it is forward facing on an aircraft and
therefore exposed to incoming impacts from aerodynamic loads, rain,
lightning and bird strike. Figure below show an example of location aircraft
radome Beechcraft Duke 60 taken from UniKL MIAT hangar.

Radome

1.1 Problem Statement

Currently, most of existing composite materials used are supplied from
authorized vendor in aviation industries such as Hexcel and Aircraft Spruce. For
example

No

Vendor

Material

Hexcel

Fiberglass, honeycomb, vacuum bag, peel

2
3

Corporation
Aircraft Spruce
Airtech

ply nylon and perforated ply

Alphapoxy resin and fiberglass
Breather

All of these composite materials supplied from approved vendor are

expensive. It is suggested to replace these composite materials from local
vendor which is cheaper. Therefore, two type of test will be conducted to
determine applicability of local composite materials for training purpose.

1.2 Research Question

In this research, the feasibility of local composite materials will be explore
and analyse to replace with composite materials from approved aviation
vendor.

1.3 Research Objective

i.

To evaluate the characteristic and mechanical properties composite

ii.
iii.

panel from both vendor.

To analyse the capability of radome composite from both vendor
To purpose the applicability composite materials for training centre

1.4 Scope
A composite panel will be created from both vendor, and tensile test
according to ASTM 3039 will be conducted to determine the mechanical
property of these materials. A radome part will be fabricated and low
velocity impact test will be conducted to determine the toughness.