Lincoln wins contract for composite natural gas fuel tank

Lincoln wins contract for composite natural gas fuel tank

APPLICAT V@ Boeing to build new Apache fuselage A FOUR-year, $15.9 million agreement to design, manufacture and flight test a new centre fuselage sect...

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APPLICAT V@ Boeing to build new Apache fuselage A FOUR-year, $15.9 million agreement to design, manufacture and flight test a new centre fuselage section fabricated in composite for Apache helicopters has been awarded to The Boeing Co. The composite section, essentially from the aft cockpit of the aircraft to just behind the engines, will be lighter, stronger and easier to manufacture than the existing metal structure. The award is a significant milestone for the company’s Phantom Works and for the Apache development programme. The AH-G4D Successful completion of the agreement potentially allows for the lengthening of the service life of

Apache helicopters. Boeing is currently remanufacturing AH-64A Apaches into the advanced AH-64D Apache

Apache Longbow helicopter.

Longbow configuration. By incorporating the composite fuselage section and other

improvements, the Apache helicopter could remain in military service well into the next century. In addition Phantom Works will use Boeing developed composite techniques that replace traditional metal fasteners with a stitching process leading to greater structural integrity and lower manufacturing cost. The award was granted under the Rotary Wings Structures Technology Demonstration ,p;;;h ramme, ’ funds cost and weight reduction initiatives for the Army’s existing and future helicopter fleet. Ken

Jensen,

Boeing;

tel:+l-602-891-2119.

Lincoln wins contract for composite natural gas fuel tank THE LINCOLN Composites division of Advanced Technical Products Inc has been awarded a contract by Plastics Inc, Mitsui California, USA, to design and produce an all composite natural gas vehicle (NGV) fuel tank for Honda of America’s 1998 model Civic GX. Honda will individually mount the 450 .mm diameter by 925 mm long tanks in the boot of the vehicle. The tanks, some of which will be exported for sale in Japan, will be used on cars built in Honda’s Ohio plant and sold in the US market. The tank is produced using filament winding.

Continuous spools of carbon and glass fibre are combined with an epoxy resin and over wrapped onto a high-density polyethylene liner with aluminum end fittings. The resulting composite structure is then heated to cure the resin. Each finished part is individually tested to a pressure 50% greater than its service pressure. The tank design is virtually identical to the 16 000 TuffshellTM fuel tanks that Lincoln has delivered to transit bus manufacturers in Canada and the USA since 1992 for use by fleet operators, gas utilities and shuttle and package delivery services.

Reinforced Plastics July/August 1998

The tank has been certified to meet the fuel tank standard set by the US Department of Transportation. “During the past four years we have worked hard to ensure that the Tuffshell tank meets the demands of original equipment mansays Lincoln’s ufacturers”, president Jim Fuller. “More have importantly, we focused on ensuring that industry certification such as the NGV-2, IS0 DIS 11439 and Canadian B-5 1 standards, reflect the need to improve industry safety and product integrity.” Lincoln

Composites

tel: + I - 402-464-821

I.

Inc;

GE awards engine inlet device contract A FIVE-year,

$65 million

contract from GE Aircraft Engines, to produce composite inlet devices, has been awarded to Marion Composites, a division of Advanced Technical Products Inc. In the first five years of the contract, Marion Composites is expected to produce composite inlet devices for the GE F414-400 turboengine, fan powering the

Boeing/US

Navy

F/A- 18E/F Super Hornet Aircraft. The inlet device is a high temperature, bonded composite structure that mounts in the aircraft air inlet just forward of the engine to enhance aircraft survivability. Facility and equipment startup, risk reduction hardware fabrication, and source substantiation evaluation will begin in 19%. Deliveries are expected to begin at a rate of one unit per month and are predicted to reach a peak rate of up to ten units per month in mid-2002 for the US Navy’s high priority FIA18E/F development and procurement programme. The current production plan for the twin engine jet is to produce a minimum of 548 aircraft each including two inlet devices. “This contract will increase our previously announced first quarter 1997 backlog to over $600 million”, says Garret L. Dominy, chief financial officer at Marion Composites. Composites; Marion teL:+l-800-662-9044;

fm:+l-540-783-9667.