DCB Fabrication Facility Upgrades (DCB FAB-TASK)

1.0 Project Goals. 1.1 The first project objective is to provide improvements to the 17 m long composite curing oven at NASA Langley Research Center (LaRC) previously purchased as part of the completed STMD/GCD Deployable Composite Booms (DCB) project. This oven is a unique asset to NASA and a capability that all industry can use to fabricate long slender composite structures.  1.2 A second project objective is the design and fabrication of a set of unique molds capable of processing thermoplastic or thermoset composite booms of a larger cross-section than explored before, which are applicable to vertical solar array technologies (VSAT). 1.3 A third project objective is to design and fabricate tooling to create higher order structural boom trusses capable of longer lengths and loads applicable to larger VSATs than explored so far. 2.0 Task Description. 2.1 Upgrades to the control electronics of the composite curing oven and component replacements necessary to increase the temperature rating for the oven to target the higher processing temperatures required by thermoplastic composites (up to 750°F) will be provided. 2.2 A subscale mold (4-7 m in length) of a large cross-section boom will be designed and fabricated along with the ground support equipment (GSE) necessary to lift, rotate, and handle it. Representative thermoset and thermoplastic deployable composite booms will be manufactured to assess performance and capability of the oven and new tooling provided. 2.3 A subscale tool (2-4 m in length) used to create truss boom prototypes from individual boom segments will be developed to explore manufacturing feasibility of this higher performance mast design concept.

​The 17 m long tunnel oven facility at NASA LaRC is a national asset for producing long composite parts of high aspect ratio in an efficient manner. By upgrading the oven components such that the current maximum operating temperature of 500 deg F is increased to 750 deg F, a wide range of higher performance thermoplastic composites such as those with PEEK/PEKK and TPI resins can be processed. The oven controller will also be upgraded to a cascade controller with a process timer for more accurate control and final part quality.A set of unique high temperature compatible tooling will also be developed for processing larger cross-section slender structures applicable to the needs of the large masts for vertical lunar solar arrays and other tower-like structures. New molds will also be produced to explore higher order structural boom truss designs for even longer VSAT and tower-like structures with more demanding structural load requirements.

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