PSI - Issue 53

Stefania Franchitti et al. / Procedia Structural Integrity 53 (2024) 397–406 Author name / Structural Integrity Procedia 00 (2019) 000 – 000

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and by EDM (notch). The tests aimed to determine the KIC of Ti6Al4V processed by EBM technology. Further details about the fracture test campaign can be found in Pirozzi et al. (2020).

3.4. Verification phase at prototype level Once the verification phase at the specimen level was completed, the verification phase at the prototype level was started. Two prototypes were manufactured, the first one for the inner flap support (Fig. 4a) and the second one for the outer flap support (Fig. 4b). They were manufactured in two separate jobs whose building time was 61 hours for the inner flap support and 69 hours for the outer flap support. In each job, additional witness samples and full height blanks were manufactured for job validation purpose. In particular, for each job the following items were manufactured: • 2 full height blanks. They were used for microstructural analysis and for density tests. The results were compared with acceptable properties defined in the previous phase. • 5 witness samples. They were used tested in tensile condition and the results were compared with acceptable properties defined in the previous phase. • 2 cube samples. They were used for chemical analysis. Results were compared with acceptable properties defined in the previous phase. • Prototypes. Once the job was validated by testing the witness samples, some tests were performed on the prototypes. In particular, a static test campaign was performed on both prototypes while a thermo mechanical test campaign was performed only on the outer flap support prototype. A summary of each test campaign is described in the next sections. a b

Fig. 4. Prototypes: (a) Inner flap supports; (b) Outer flap supports.

3.5. Static Test The goal, of the static test campaign, is to consolidate the design and manufacturing process of the SR Body Flap Assembly. The assembly under test is composed by the Space Rider Body Flap demonstrator, including Hinges, supports and EMA Rod. The purpose is twofold: the validation of the numerical models used for the design and simulation of the components and the capability evaluation of control surface to withstand static aerodynamic loads exerted during the reentry phase. A sequence of 7 tests has been carried on the flap, plus a verification or the accuracy of the LDT used for the displacement acquisition. Two half pressure tests were carried out in order to assess the effectiveness of the whole