Systems and methods for accelerated conditioning of composite core sandwich coupons

A system for accelerated conditioning of a composite core sandwich coupon comprising:

• a conditioning apparatus having a chamber configured to contain a composite core sandwich coupon, wherein the composite core sandwich coupon comprises (i) an outer composite layer and (ii) an inner core layer, and wherein the inner core layer comprises a plurality of cells;
• a humidifier configured to provide water vapor to the chamber of the conditioning apparatus;
• a drilling apparatus;
• a heater configured to provide heat to the chamber of the conditioning apparatus;
• and
• a computing device comprising a processor and a memory having instructions executable by the processor to perform a set of functions, the set of functions comprising:
• controlling the drilling apparatus to drill a plurality of holes through the outer composite layer;
• controlling, after drilling the plurality of holes, the heater to set a first temperature of the conditioning apparatus between 140 and 180 degrees Fahrenheit and controlling the humidifier to set a first relative humidity level of the conditioning apparatus between 5% and 9%, and wherein a combination of the first temperature and the first relative humidity level correspond to a desired relative humidity level of the plurality of cells of the inner core layer at room temperature;
• controlling the heater to maintain the first temperature and controlling the humidifier to maintain the first relative humidity level for a first period, wherein during the first period a core humidity of the plurality of cells in the inner core layer approaches the first relative humidity level;
• determining that the core humidity has reached the first relative humidity level;
• and
• based on determining that the core humidity has reached the first relative humidity level, causing the heater to adjust, at a second time, the first temperature to a second temperature, wherein the second temperature is between the first temperature and room temperature, and wherein, responsive to adjusting the first temperature to the second temperature, the outer composite layer absorbs moisture from the inner core layer to approach the desired relative humidity level.

A non-transitory computer readable medium having stored thereon instructions, that when executed by one or more processors of a computing device, cause the computing device to perform functions for accelerated conditioning of a composite core sandwich coupon within a conditioning apparatus, wherein the composite core sandwich coupon comprises (i) an outer composite layer and (ii) an inner core layer, and wherein the inner core layer comprises a plurality of cells, the functions comprising:

• creating, via a drilling apparatus, a plurality of holes through the outer composite layer;
• setting, at a first time by a controller of the conditioning apparatus after creating the plurality of holes, a first temperature of the conditioning apparatus between 140 and 180 degrees Fahrenheit and setting a first relative humidity level of the conditioning apparatus between 5% and 9%, and wherein a combination of the first temperature and the first relative humidity level correspond to a desired relative humidity level of the plurality of cells of the inner core layer at room temperature;
• maintaining, by the controller, the first temperature and the first relative humidity level for a first period, wherein during the first period a core humidity of the plurality of cells in the inner core layer approaches the first relative humidity level;
• determining that the core humidity has reached the first relative humidity level;
• and
• based on determining that the core humidity has reached the first relative humidity level, adjusting, at a second time by the controller of the conditioning apparatus, the first temperature to a second temperature, wherein the second temperature is between the first temperature and room temperature, and wherein, responsive to adjusting the first temperature to the second temperature, the outer composite layer absorbs moisture from the inner core layer to approach the desired relative humidity level.