Corpus Christi Army Depot - Matrix Blanket Project


The Matrix Heating Blanket and Conrtoller System is used for composite repair of the leading edge of the Blackhawk helicopter rotor blade. It consists of three thrity-zone, 8-ft silicone blankets. Each blanket has built-in electronics to digitize the blanket temperature of all zones. The temperatures are transmitted digitally to the associated blanket controller for individual PID calculations. The three blankets are networked together to form a single ninety-zone, 24-ft heating blanket that maintains 275° +/- 5° F across the entire blanket (The previous system with a conventional heating blanket had up to a 100° F spread). A central computer, located outside the pressurized, heated autoclave, controls the ramp rate and temperatures set points via an RS-485 bus.
One of three 8-ft, 30-zone heater blankets with embedded sensors and circuit boards. Three heater blankets, each with one controller, are used to accureately and uniformly control the cure temperature across a 24 foot span.
Heaters for the matrix controller system being installed on a Blackhawk main rotor blade.

The 30-zone heater blanket can be controlled to +/- 1° F. When installed on the rotor blade, part temperature can be maintained to a specified +/- 10° F. Tests have yielded +5°/-2° F.
Breather cloth being added to allow the removal of volatile vapors and insulate the heaters.
Installation of vacuum bagging and installation of blade into an autoclave. The matrix controllers and heaters with embedded electronics work within the pressurized and heated autoclave.
A vacuum is pulled on the blade with heater system installed to put the heaters in close contact with the repair part and remove vapors.
An actual temperature plot of a production run during the installation. All temperature readings across the entire 24ft blade are +/- 3° F.
One matrix repair system inside a 12-ft. diameter, 50-ft. long autoclave manufactured by Tarrico, Inc. The Matrix controller system is integrated with the Tarrico autoclave controls.
CPU board from one of the three Matrix Blanket Controller boxes. Mil Spec, thru-hole parts are used to ensure long-term relaibility inside the 25 PSA and 150° F auto-clave environment. Independant MTBF calculations showed a live expectancy of over 20 years!
T/C digitizer boards. Two boards are embedded in each of the thirty-zone heater blanket. Each board will digitize up to 16 thermocouple signals and transmit the data via serial link to it's controller.
 
 
© 2003 by Insight Systems, Inc.