This thesis constitutes the final part of studies for a Bachelor’s degree in Mechanical Engineering. The report presents an investigation of radar-absorbing materials with a focus on the effects of magnetic layers in 3D-printed materials. This work is conducted at the Swedish Defence Research Agency (FOI), a leading entity in defense and security research in Europe. The project aims to improve the understanding of radar-absorbing materials and develop techniques to reduce the signature when exposed to radar. The purpose of the work includes analyzing different material compositions to identify the one that minimizes radar reflection and exploring gradient effects with multiple layers at the bottom and fewer at the top of the material. Additionally, the study aims to develop a mathematical model to describe the dependency of permittivity or loss tangent on the number of PLA-M layers compared to the base material PLA from the 3D printer. The method used in the project is derived from ”Product Design and Development” [1] with some adjustments. The work began with an extensive preliminary study that combined both theoretical and practical elements. A literature review and microscopic analyses of 3D-printed samples in PLAMwere conducted to understand the material behavior. Subsequently, various concepts were developed using a functional analysis conducted after creating a list of needs and requirements. Four concepts were developed, three of which were constructed and produced for further testing of radar properties in an NRL arch. The results of the work show that concept four, with a combination of PLA-M and PLA-E materials, proved to be the most promising for radar absorption. Unfortunately, I was not able to develop a mathematical model based on the test results. Despite this, the results provide valuable insights into how different parameters affect radar absorption in multilayer panels.
| Identifer | oai:union.ndltd.org:UPSALLA1/oai:DiVA.org:liu-204956 |
| Date | January 2024 |
| Creators | Enander, Hilma |
| Publisher | Linköpings universitet, Institutionen för ekonomisk och industriell utveckling |
| Source Sets | DiVA Archive at Upsalla University |
| Language | Swedish |
| Detected Language | English |
| Type | Student thesis, info:eu-repo/semantics/bachelorThesis, text |
| Format | application/pdf |
| Rights | info:eu-repo/semantics/openAccess |
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