National Center for Advanced Materials Performance

FAA & EASA Memorandum
FAA Memorandum
EASA Memorandum

NCAMP Operating Procedure Documents
NSP 100 NCAMP Standard Operating Procedure (SOP)
NSP 110 Operating Procedures and Bylaws for NCAMP Regulatory Governing Board (RGB)
NSP 120 Operating Procedures and Bylaws for NCAMP Manufacturers Advisory Board (MAB)
NSP 130 Operating Procedures and Bylaws for NCAMP Suppliers Avisory Board (SAB)

NCAMP Process Control Documents
NRP 101 Prepreg PCD Preparation & Maintenance Guide 
NRP 102 Polyacrylonitrile-Based Carbon Fiber Process Control Document (PCD) Preparation and Mantenance Guide

NCAMP Authorized Engineering Representative (AER)
NQP 200 Application Form 

NCAMP Authorized Inspection Representative (AIR)
NQP 100 Application Form 

NCAMP Engineering Acceptance
Form 289-3 
289-3 Instruction Guide

NCAMP Request for Varification (RIV)
Form 168-10
168-10 Instruction Guide 

NCAMP Inspection Verification Record
Form 168-1
168-1 Instruction Guide

Additional Documents
PMC Data Collection 

 

HYpothesis Testing of EQuivalence (HYTEQ)

Asymptotical Distributions, Parameters and Coverage Probabilities of Tolerance Limits (2007) by Xiaomi Hu

Simulation of Different Acceptance Criteria (2006) by Beth Clarkson, Ph.D.

Deriving Composite Lamina Properties from Laminate Properties Using Classical Lamination Theory and Failure Criteria (2005) by Yeow Ng

Simulation Programs (for educational purposes only) 
For the simulation programs below, mu is the population average, sigma is the population standard deviation, n is the sample size for basis value calculations and N is the number of basis value calculations

• K Factor Calculator
• B-Basis Distribution Simulator (Note the definition of B-Basis: A 95 % lower confidence bound on the 10th percentile of a specified population)
• Parameters for A and B-Basis

NCAMP in the News

• NCAMP finalizes Hexcel Hexply qualifications and allowables, Composites World, July 11, 2011
• Shared databases will expand composites use, in aerospace and beyond, High Performance Composites, July 1, 2011
• NCAMP releases first material property data report, High Performance Composites, August 25, 2011
• Out-of-autoclave prepregs: Hype or revolution?, High-Performance Composites, January 1, 2011
• News Briefs, Composites World, November 17, 2009
• NCAMP Updates composites material qualification efforts, Composites World, August 31, 2009
• Shared Composite Materials Databases, High-Performance Composites, October 20, 2008
• USAF to provide funding for polyimide prepreg qualifications, Composites World, May 6, 2008
• Shared material databases: The next chapter, High Performance Composites, May 1, 2005

 

AGATE History

AGATE Shared Database Process
In recent years, NASA, industry and the FAA have worked together to help the aviation industry deliver more aircraft in less time by sharing central material qualification databases. This concept was first tested with the databases formed through the Advanced General Aviation Transport Experiments (AGATE), formed by NASA in 1995 and led by NIAR at WSU. The purpose of AGATE was to develop affordable new technology, industry standards and certification methods for general aviation aircraft.

Before AGATE, the traditional approach to qualifying materials meant individual companies used "customized" qualification programs, leading to detailed and expensive procedures for each company. Costs increased further as other procedures were established for structural testing, manufacturing control and repair. As a result, most programs were limited to using materials previously qualified for other programs, which led to using older, outdated material and not taking advantage of the latest technology and material advances in the industry.

With the creation of AGATE, the AGATE Shared Database Process was formed. The shared databases created using the AGATE process allowed a manufacturer to select a pre-approved composite material system to fabricate parts through a smaller subset of testing for a specific application (known as equivalency). The materials accepted into these shared databases required that the raw materials be manufactured in accordance with process control documents and material specifications, which impose control of the key physical, chemical and mechanical properties of the material.

Through the joint collaboration of two government agencies, NASA and FAA, AGATE was able to reduce the time required for certification of new composite materials by a factor of four and the cost of certification by a factor of 10. The timeline below highlights the progress AGATE made, leading to NCAMP.

All the documents in this page have been reviewed and approved by NCAMP members through the NCAMP Portal.  For information regarding the acceptability of NCAMP-published allowables and specifications, please refer to the the FAA Policy Memorandum AIR100-2010-120-003 and EASA Certification Memorandum CM-S-004.

Additive Manufacturing Materials

• Stratasys Fortus 900mc, ULTEM 9085
• Markforged X7, Onyx FR-A w/ Carbon Fiber FR-A

Thermoset Materials

• Cytec, a Syensqo company 5320-1
• Cytec, a Syensqo company MTM45-1 
• Hexcel 8552
• Newport NCT4708
• Toray (formerly TenCate) BT250E-6
• Toray (formerly TenCate) TC250
• Cytec, a Syensqo company 5320-1 Repair

Thermoplastic Materials

• Toray (formerly TenCate) TC1225 (Discontinued*)

  • *122/1 manufacturing configuration is discontinued. For information on the improved configuration of TC1225/T700, please contact g.waldrip@toraytac-usa.com.

• Teijin Tenax-E TPWF/TPCL PEEK
• Victrex AE™ 250 LMPAEK

NMS 818 Carbon Fiber Specifications

ACN Record