Advanced composite electronic enclosures
Abstract
Lightweight low-cost molded composite electronic enclosures were fabricated by various techniques with integrally molded connector holes, floating nutplates, PC board holding slots, and other associated packaging elements. Use of molded composite for electronic boxes results in several benefits to the user. Direct benefits are reduced cost and weight, as well as a shortened lead time for procurement or fabrication of the hardware. Indirect benefits are early flight experience at low risk plus early nondestructive inspection and testing of the enclosure assembly. Techniques used in fabricating these enclosures and the advantages and disadvantages of various materials such as graphite, kevlar, and E-Glass are discussed. Emphasis is placed on the problems in developing production processes which would satisfy stringent reproducibility requirements.
- Publication:
-
Bicentennial of Materials Progress
- Pub Date:
- 1976
- Bibcode:
- 1976bmp..proc..309C
- Keywords:
-
- Composite Materials;
- Cost Reduction;
- Electronic Packaging;
- Enclosures;
- Molding Materials;
- Weight Reduction;
- Avionics;
- Circuit Boards;
- Electronic Equipment Tests;
- Fabrication;
- Nondestructive Tests;
- Printed Circuits;
- Electronics and Electrical Engineering