National Composites Centre manufactures CMCs using AFP tech

The advance, a European first, aims to pave the way for high-temperature capabilities of these materials to be unlocked within engines.

Completed as part of the NCC’s Core Research Programme, the project is supported by Rolls-Royce, Reaction Engines, MBDA and 3M. It has demonstrated that a novel oxide-based ceramic tow-preg material from 3M can be used in automated deposition.

Whilst conventional Nickel based superalloys have a maximum continuous temperature of approximately 800°C, oxide-based CMCs can operate at 1000°C, with the higher operating temperature potentially improving the efficiency of aerospace engines and reducing fuel consumption and the subsequent CO2 emissions.

However, widespread use of CMCs is currently limited to high value applications, such as heat shields and turbine vanes. Being able to process a more affordable version of the material using AFP technology will reduce the final cost of making CMC parts, making them a more appealing proposition for industries who require components that can withstand high temperatures. 

According to NCC, the team adapted existing AFP technology typically used to process organic matrix composites, like carbon fibre reinforced epoxy materials, to process 3M’s material. 

They also investigated how process parameters such as speed, heat and compaction force influence the material deposition and quality. Identifying the optimal deposition parameters reduces the material variability, removing one of the largest challenges for CMCs to be used more widely, NCC said. This could also lower their cost and create less waste.

“In the next year we hope to use our optimised manufacturing parameters to create even more complex geometries, starting with curved surfaces, to closer represent industrial parts,” said Dr Dave King, engineering capability lead for advanced materials at NCC. 

“With 3M’s support, we are also investigating wider material formats to reduce the number of inter tape joints in the material to increase its performance. These factors are critical for their deployment in industry.”

Angus Braithwaite, senior materials engineer at Reaction Engines added: “Alongside the development of its air breathing, high speed propulsion systems, Reaction Engines recognises that CMCs will play an important part in optimising space-access, high-speed flight and other cutting edge aerospace applications.