Composite shape-generating tool set for spacecraft antennae reflector manufacturing

Аuthors

Belov O. A.^1*, Berdnikova N. A.^2**, Babkin A. V.^3***, Kozlov M. V.^3****, Belov D. A.^3*****

1. Compani «Information satellite systems of academician M.F. Reshetnev», 52, Lenin str., Zheleznogorsk, Krasnoyarsk region, 662972, Russia
2. Siberian State University of Science and Technology named after academician M.F. Reshetnev, 31, Krasnoyarsky Rabochy av., Krasnoyarsk, 660014, Russia
3. Institute of new carbon materials and technologies, 1, bldg. 11, Leninskie Gory str., Moscow, 119234, Russia

*e-mail: boa@iss-reshetnev.ru
**e-mail: berdnikova-nataly@mail.ru
***e-mail: ababkin@inumit.ru
****e-mail: ichebroller@gmail.com
*****e-mail: studd_belov@list.ru

Abstract

Irregular shape items manufacturing from polymeric composite materials (PCM) requires the tool set, which geometry duplicates geometry of the item. The material is spread on the shape-generating tool set, and then its polymerization is carried out at the predetermined pressure and temperature that can achieve up to 200°C. In this respect, the most complicated problem while forming precision items from PCM consists in temperature deformation occurrence while polymerization process.

For years, metal hybrid tool sets have prevailed in high-precision composite parts manufacturing. A hybrid tool set has invar (nickel alloy with CLTE close to zero) shaping plate and a support structure made of some other metal with sufficient thermal conductivity. The tool set of such kind involves shape-generating plate attachment to the support structure means, which ensure the possibility of their free thermal extension. The drawback of metal tool sets consists in their high cost, low material utilisation ratio and long manufacturing cycle.

The next step in tool sets for high-precision items made of PCM evolution was creation of composite shape-generating tool sets. Fiberglass and carbon reinforced plastics are implemented for such tool set manufacturing. Its surface can be coated with ceramic or gel coat layer of precise thickness, providing minimum roughness, maintainability, and increasing the items takeoffs. Composite tool sets does not have disadvantages of their metal counterparts, though several design problems are still stay unsolved.

This paper proposes a carbon composite tool set design for satellite antenna reflector producing. The main requirements to this tool set are precision and stability of the shaping surface. Design solutions are validated by thermal and static mechanical analyses based on finite elements method. In addition, the paper presents the results of autoclave operation simulation, which allows analysing the tool set optimal positioning inside the autoclave to provide uniform heating.

Keywords:

carbon composite, heat transfer, gas dynamics modeling, autoclave molding, tool set, antennae reflector

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