Using Simulation for Materials Development and Troubleshooting at Boeing

Boeing uses many polymer, composite, metal, and ceramic materials and processes to manufacture the wide variety of high performance products that operate in unique and often extreme environments. Applying computational tools to determine the structure-process-property relationships which govern the processing requirements and ultimate performance can provide valuable information for solving materials problems which arise in manufacturing and in-service operations. Furthermore, these tools lower the cost and shorten the developmental timeline for materials necessary for next generation aerospace products. Quantum, molecular, and mesoscale modeling packages are effective tools to accelerate decision-making, solve existing problems, and develop new materials faster through the use of a virtual laboratory. These tools can be linked to continuum-level processing and structural analysis codes using an integrated computational materials engineering (ICME) approach. This presentation will summarize the state-of-the-art in aerospace materials modeling and the application of these tools for (1) troubleshooting existing and (2) developing new aerospace materials.

Speaker Bio: Sam Tucker graduated from Southern Mississippi in 2010 with a Ph.D. in Polymer Science and Engineering and a graduate minor in Technology Commercialization. Sam’s graduate research focused on structure property relationships of the thermoset polymers used as matrices in carbon fiber composites. Since joining Boeing in 2010, Sam has continued research on composites, focusing effort on multiscale modeling to predict the processing and ultimate performance of composite materials.

Note: Visitors from outside NIST must contact Cathy Graham; (301) 975-3800; at least 24 hours in advance.