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ER-1
Aerospace Repair Analysis and Substantiation
This course is designed for degree-qualified aerospace and mechanical engineers or persons having practical experience in strength of materials calculations who are responsible for the design analysis and substantiation of repairs to secondary structures. The course is an entry level course and provides classroom lecture on composite materials, processes, and manufacturing with a focus on repair techniques and repair analysis. The hands-on shop work involves manufacturing test panels, damaging the panels, performing repairs, and mechanically testing coupons from both the original and repaired panels. The mechanical characteristics of the original and repaired panels are validated with analysis using an Excel spreadsheet, which has become one of the most recognized analysis training tools in the industry. Many students come from aircraft operators involved with commercial, business, general aviation, and military aviation, but the course is also applicable for engineers involved in original design who need to consider the design for maintainability and supportability of composite structures. The ER-1 course is a mandatory prerequisite for the ER-2 Advanced Aerospace Repair Analysis and Substantiation course, where ER-2 provides advanced composite repair analysis techniques that are applicable to primary structures.
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ER-2
Advanced Aerospace Repair Analysis and Substantiation
ER-2 should not be considered a mere expansion of the concept already presented in ER-1. ER-2, is in fact, significantly much more. It is the direct result of over 10 years of specific R&D and thousands of hours of effort to develop an advanced repair analysis methodology that is applicable to the modern application of heavily loaded composite primary structure. When ER-1 was developed, composites were found primarily on surface panels, cowlings, landing gear door, and fairing panels - all secondary structure that did not necessarily require the most rigorous analysis. However, in modern aviation applications, composite materials are found on wings, stabilizers, flight controls and pressurized fuselages. These Damage Tolerant primary structures demand a more advanced analysis method than ER-1, of which is the central focus of ER-2. This is an advanced level course designed for degree-qualified aerospace and mechanical engineers who are responsible for the design analysis and substantiation of repairs to both primary and secondary composite structures. All students are required to have completed the ER-1 Aerospace Repair Analysis and Substantiation course to be prepared to explore a more in-depth analysis of repairs to primary structures. Although the focus is still on stiffness, strength, and composite joints, the analysis presented addresses the full in-plane and bending stiffness of composite laminates as well as a detailed representation of the most common industry used composite failure criteria. The most unique topic is the extremely in-depth analysis that is presented for evaluating the stress concentrations caused by both unrepaired damage (Allowable Damage Limits - ADLs) as well as those caused by application of different repair configurations (stiffness induced stress concentrations). This evaluation allows the determination of both the Design Limit Load (DLL) for ADLs and the Design Ultimate Load (DUL) for Damage Tolerance. This analysis meets the requirements for FAA and EASA Bonded Repair Size Limits (BRSL) and existing DoD composite repair guidelines. The ER-2 joint analysis offers solutions that are beyond any university course or professional training by presenting advanced calculations for determining the adhesive shear stress and strain across the full length of the bonded joint as well as multi-row mechanically fastened joints. Then, expanding upon the shop exercises and coupon testing in ER-1, the ER-2 workshop projects creates full circular repairs in the class panels and mechanically tests the completed repair in its entirety, without cutting the repair into test coupons. An example repair is then evaluated with FEA and mechanically tested with Digital Image Correlation (DIC).
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ER-3/ES-4
FEA, DIC, and Advanced Stress Methods for Composite Structures and Repairs
Given the depth of information, all the advanced topics that were originally intended for ER-2 and ES-3 cannot be fully presented and explained in five days. The advanced topics primarily focus on Finite Element Analysis (FEA) and Digital Image Correlation (DIC). However, since these methods are applicable to both original structure design as well as repairs, their application was merged into a combined ER-3/ES-4 that sits at the top of the engineering training pyramid. This course has been developed to keep engineers up to date on the latest analysis and testing methods for composite structures and repairs using FEA and DIC. However, the need for analytical methods cannot be overlooked. This course also presents real-world applications of some of the most advanced stress methods that can be found in specialized composite analysis books throughout the industry that are applicable to both structural and repair analysis. FEA is widely recognized in structural analysis, so it is necessary for engineers to understand enough of the theory behind the Finite Element Method and the practical applications of FEA software to comprehend the requirements for its specific inputs and outputs - but also understand the limitations inherent to FEA. There are many unique aspects to composite FEA models that may be foreign to engineers that are familiar with FEA using metals. This course begins with identifying the proper sources for composite material properties, entering these properties into FEA, modeling a laminate in FEA, creating a laminate property, meshing the structure, applying constraints, applying loads, analyzing the model, and interpreting the results. Most engineers are familiar with stress distributions revealed with FEA, but for composites, an evaluation of the strain field, ply-by-ply failure criteria, and strain energy density is critical. Equally interesting in this course is use of Digital Image Correlation (DIC) in structural testing to validate the FEA results. DIC uses digital camera imagery taken at timed increments to digitize a speckle pattern applied to the surface of the laminate. The DIC software tracks the movement of the digitized speckles and equates it to the deformation of the structure. The analytical methods calculate the load distribution throughout the structure, that is commonly only considered to be available from FEA.
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HBR
Hawker-Beechcraft Composite Repair (A FlightSafety International Course)
This course is designed as a manufacturer specific course.It is a FlightSafety approved course designed to provide the repair station with the knowledge and skills needed to repair Hawker –Beechcraft composite structures on aircraft such as the Hawker 850, 1000, 4000, and the Premier 1and 1A. The course is extremely beneficial to individuals, such as technicians, mechanics,inspectors and supervisors that come in contact with these aircraft. This course will cover composite repairs using the manufacturer’s Structural Repair Manuals (SRM's), the students will get plenty of time in the shop performing repairs on various parts developing their hands-on skills.
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M-1/R-1
Advanced Composite Structures: Fabrication & Damage Repair-Phase 1
Our most popular class, Advanced Composite Structures: Fabrication & Damage Repair-Phase 1 is designed to meet the needs of a wide range of personnel; from the novice to the seasoned professional. This course is a prerequisite for both our repair and manufacturing programs and is highly recommended to anyone seeking a better understanding of advanced composite materials, processes, layup/lamination, vacuum bagging, adhesive bonding, tooling, repair, and inspection methods and techniques. Note: Engineers involved in composite repair design and anaylsis are advised to take the ER-1 course, and engineers involved in structures design are advised to take the ES-1 course.
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M-10/R-12
Certified Composite Instructor: Level I
This course is offered to those persons who are currently teaching, or those who wish to teach subjects related to advanced composite materials, manufacturing, or repair. This course is designed to allow a dedicated student to be able to instruct at his/her home organization to the level of Abaris Training standards.
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M-4/R-7
Adhesive Bonding of Composites & Metals
This course is designed for engineers, technicians, and anyone else looking to advance their knowledge in adhesive bonding technology, while gaining a deeper understanding of surface preparation and the fundamental adhesion principles necessary to achieve a good bond to both (polymeric) composite and metallic surfaces.
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M-6/R-8
Mold Fabrication for Production and Repairs
This course is designed for the tooling engineer, tool designer, tool fabricator, or anyone else that has a desire to learn about designing and building molds and fixtures using advanced composite materials.
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M-7/R-6
Non Destructive Inspection Techniques for Technicians and Inspectors
This five-day course is designed for the repair technician, fabricator, or inspector tasked with identifying and quantifying defects in new or damaged composite panels using the latest equipment, methods, and techniques. The course is very “hands-on” in nature, and quite busy. The instruction is performed by an ASNT certified Level III engineer and is flexible to adapting to the students needs.
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R-1/R-2
Advanced Composite Structures: Damage Repair 1-2-Combined
Designed for onsite delivery only at select composite repair stations requiring devoted training in hot bond repair, this "combined" repair course is for repair technicians, mechanics, supervisors, and quality assurance personnel directly involved in providing high performance repairs to advanced composite structures.
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R-10
Helicopter Rotor Blade Repair
Regardless of the make and model of the helicopter, accomplishing durable, high-quality rotor blade repairs requires a certain knowledge and skill set. This course is designed for helicopter mechanics, maintenance personnel, and inspectors looking to achieve sound repairs to composite rotor blades. This five-day course will provide the knowledge and teach the skills necessary to effect quality helicopter rotor blade repairs in-house with a high degree of confidence, and a shorter turn-around time.
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R-13
General Aviation Composite Repair
The General Aviation Composite Repair Course was originally conceived as a manufacturer-specific Cessna repair course devoted specifically to the Columbia, Cessna Corvalis and TTx airframes. It is approved by Cessna, and was initially designed as an airframe specific course for Cessna Service Center repair technicians, mechanics, supervisors, and quality assurance personnel directly involved in providing high performance repairs on these advanced composite structures. However, many General Aviation aircraft from other manufacturers use similar resin and fiber systems and structural repair techniques, such as various models of the Cirrus, Diamond, most high-performance sailplanes, and many LSA composite aircraft. Technicians repairing these types of GA airframes will also benefit from this training. The principles of properly performing a good composite structural repair broadly apply to these airframes as well.
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R-14
Advanced Composite Automotive Structural Repair-1
This automotive-specific repair course is designed for factory, field, body shop technicians, inspectors, and supervisors responsible for performing repairs to carbon fiber (and other) composite structures and components in the automotive industry.
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R-15
Advanced Windblade Repair
This 5-day advanced level repair course is a follow-on to our R-5 Composite Wind Blade Repair course. This is for the repair designers, technicians, mechanics, supervisors, and quality assurance personnel directly involved in providing high performance repairs to advanced composite structures. This course will cover more detailed repairs, such as repairs to spars, along with tooling and different repair processes.
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R-2
Advanced Composite Structures: Damage Repair: Phase 2
The R-2 repair course is designed as a direct follow-on to our M-1/R-1 course for repair designers, technicians, mechanics, supervisors, and quality assurance personnel directly involved in providing high performance repairs to advanced composite structures.
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R-3
Advanced Composite Structures: Damage Repair: Phase 3
This course is designed for repair designers, technicians, mechanics, leads or supervisors who want to further their education in repairs of advanced composite structures. This class presents more challenging damage assessment and repair challenges than those presented in our Phase 2 course.
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R-4
Repair of Bonded Aluminum Structures
This course is designed for repair designers, technicians, mechanics, leads, supervisors, or inspectors who want to further their education in repairs of bonded aluminum structures.
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R-5
Composite Windblade Repair
This 5-day course is prerequisite for the R-15 Advanced Windblade Repair course and is designed for both factory and field technicians, inspectors, and supervisors responsible for performing structural repairs to composite wind blades.