T-Maps-Based Tolerance Analysis of Composites Assembly Involving Compensation Strategies

Abstract Clamping force and shimming are two important compensation processes in the composite assembly. Their effects on variation propagation should be investigated in tolerance analysis. The paper presents a tolerance analysis method for composites assembly based on the T-Maps method, mainly concerning the anisotropic variations accumulation and propagation where there is the clamping force modification and the shimming. Variations of the composite parts in different directions are represented by the T-Maps. Since the different axial deviations are represented in the same Euclidean point-space, the T-Maps-based tolerance analysis of the composite parts assembly provides more accurate and reliable results. Compensation processes, the clamping force, and the shimming, on assembly tolerance synthesis of the composite parts, are analyzed clearly in the T-Map. This procedure is found to be effective for the anisotropy-oriented assembly tolerance analysis, especially concerning about effect of the clamping force and the shimming on variations accumulation and propagation. The assembly of an aircraft composite elevator is considered to demonstrate the effectiveness of the T-Maps-based method. The procedures outlined in the paper are quite general and can be used for assembly tolerance analysis of anisotropic parts.