J. McMichael, Alcoa Technical Center, Alcoa Center, PA; N. Cawley, J. Barnes, Lockheed Martin Aeronautics Company, Marietta, GA
Under the auspices of the Advanced Aluminum Aerostructures Initiative (A3I), a DoD contract administered by the US Air Force, Lockheed Martin and Alcoa have worked together to redesign the F-22A Nose Landing Gear Doors (NLGD). The present doors are comprised of a glass/phenolic honeycomb core sandwiched between two carbon epoxy skins. The redesign consists of a two piece aluminum bi-grid structure that significantly reduces cost, fit up problems, and Interchangability and Replaceability (I&R) issues. The redesigned doors consist of an outer mold line skin with an integral grid, joined to an inner mold line skin by way of a ConnexSys
TM snap geometry specifically dimensioned to accommodate adhesive for this application.
July 2006 is the anticipated production implementation date for the redesigned doors. This presentation will provide a summary of the NLGD design and manufacturing development work performed over the past three years, as well as the results of joint, sub-element, and full-scale testing programs.
Under the auspices of the Advanced Aluminum Aerostructures Initiative (A3I), a DoD contract administered by the US Air Force, Lockheed Martin and Alcoa have worked together to redesign the F-22A Nose Landing Gear Doors (NLGD). The present doors are comprised of a glass/phenolic honecomb core sandwiched between two carbon epoxy skins. The redesign consists of a two piece aluminum bi-grid structure that significantly reduces cost, fit up problems, and Interchangability and Replaceability (I&R) issues. The redesigned doors consist of a n outer mold line skin with an integral grid, joined to an inner mold line skin by way of a ConnexSys
TM snap geometry specifically dimensioned to accommodate adhesive for this application.
July 2006 is the anticipated production implementation date for the redesigned doors. This presentation will provide a summary of the NLGD design and manufacturing development work performed over the past three years, as well as the results of joint, sub-element, and full-scale testing programs.
