Efforts to standardize aerospace composite repairs, 1988–2003

Abstract

This paper describes almost 15 years of work attempting to standardize composite repairs. When compared with metals, which have specified alloy contents and standard test methods, composites have a range of different fibres and resins and the latter are of undisclosed formulations with a wide range of mechanical and other properties. Likewise the test methods for composites are in the process of standardization but there are some differences between the methods used by the producers and those used by the aircraft manufacturers. Efforts to introduce some degree of standardization are given below together with an indication of progress to date.