Design for manufacturability of a composite helicopter structure made by resin transfer moulding

Resin transfer moulding (RTM) is a promising composite manufacturing method capable of producing high quality parts while meeting the rising demand for cost effectiveness. A collaborative research project involving academia, industry, and government in the Montreal area is under way to optimize RTM and help transfer this technology to local industries. As a technology demonstrator, the leading edge slat of the Bell 407 helicopter is being redesigned using composite materials and RTM. This thesis presents the mould design, part design for manufacturability, and actual production of half-length prototype parts. The mould and part designs were carried out concurrently taking into consideration results from stress analysis and flow modelling, as well as manufacturing constraints. A total of eight prototypes were manufactured. During the development of this project, important improvements were made in the way composite parts are manufactured by RTM. The lessons learned from this prototype design and manufacturing work will help to produce the full-size version of the slat as well as other components in the future.