T.E.A.M INC — National Aeronautics and Space Administration SBIR Phase I: Z7.02

Description

T.E.A.M., Inc. proposes to develop and demonstrate a manufacturing method for a 3D woven deployable skirt structure with polar fiber orientation and integrally woven rib attachment features and trailing edge radii. The novelty of our approach comes from the combination of several unique textile manufacturing technologies that to our knowledge have never been successfully combined into a single process. This includes application of traditional "2D" polar weaving techniques to a variable thickness 3D weave architecture and conical geometry, respectively. 3D woven acreage material will leverage 3D-TPS weave architectures previously developed and arc-jet tested by T.E.A.M., Inc. Likewise the single radial joint resulting from the polar woven approach will be reinforced using TEAM's previously arc jet tested 3D-TPS stitching technology. Multiple iterations of the acreage 3D polar weave, radial joint configuration, trailing edge radii and seamless trailing edge close-outs will be demonstrated and quantitatively compared in both flat and formed states. The developed process will be scalable to >3m base diameter on existing T.E.A.M., Inc. 3D weaving equipment. The overall goal of the Phase I effort will be to optimize the manufacturing process parameters for scale-up to 1-3m scale in Phase 2. Heat flux exposure and post heat flux mechanical testing of the developed solution are also planned in Phase 2.