Ben Campanella, Jr.
Research Engineer
Education
B.E., Mechanical Engineering, Villanova University, 2004
Experience
Mr. Campanella joined MR&D in May of 2003 as a summer intern and accepted a full-time position as a Research Engineer after his graduation in May of 2004. While at MR&D, Mr. Campanella has performed a variety of engineering tasks on contracts for customers such as Northrop Grumman, ATK Thiokol, Lockheed Martin, and NASA. This work has included finite element modeling with the ANSYS program to perform structural analyses, thermal stress analyses, steady-state and transient heat transfer analyses, random vibration analyses and acoustic pressure analyses. Also micromechanical analyses are regularly carried out in conjunction with the above analyses to develop composite thermo-elastic material properties and strengths using the properties of the constituent materials. Brief descriptions of some of the projects Mr. Campanella has worked on are provided below.
Composite Missile/Vehicle Control Surface: This project involved defining a geometry and construction method for a composite missile control surface using pre-ceramic polymer (PCP) C/SiC. The control surface design utilized a sandwich construction with solid composite leading and trailing edges, as well as longitudinal stringers that ran the length of the fin to provide rigidity to the structure. Thermal and structural analyses were carried out to demonstrate the feasibility of the design.
Composite Leading Edge Processing Analysis: The objective of this project was to investigate the candidate design configurations for the leading edge of an aeroshell structure in order to identify an optimal design. Numerous candidate leading edge designs, each involving a build-up of pre-manufactured plates of high temperature ACC-6 composite material, sandwiched between the top and bottom aeroshell panels to form a continuous leading edge contour were investigated. Thermal-stress analyses were conducted to identify the plate orientations and thicknesses which facilitated the lowest stresses resulting from thermal expansion of the constituent components.
Iosipescu Shear Specimen Optimization: This project involved optimization of the geometry of an Iosipescu shear specimen for use in finding the in-plane shear strength and in-plane shear modulus of refractory composite materials (specifically C/SiC) at both room and elevated temperatures. Parametric analyses were conducted to identify the optimal notch angle and notch thickness of the specimen.
Small Area Repair for Space Shuttle Leading Edge: Small, circular “patches” made of C/SiC were designed to provide a manual repair method for fixing the reinforced C-C leading edges of the Space Shuttle. In the event of a debris strike during launch, these patches could be affixed to the damaged area to allow the vehicle to safely re-enter the earth’s atmosphere. Structural, transient thermal analyses, and aero-pressure analyses were performed to identify the number of unique repair “patches” needed to cover the curved leading edges of the orbiter while maintaining minimum edge gaps and allowable stress states.
Prior to joining MR&D, Mr. Campanella worked as an Intern for Piasecki Aircraft Company in Essington, PA. He was involved in CAD design of the flight control systems and electrical systems layout for the Vectored Thrust Ducted Propeller (VTDP) Advanced Technology Demonstration (ATD) program. This project was aimed at improving the range and performance of the Sikorsky UH-60 Blackhawk helicopter by converting the conventional tail rotor into a thrust-vectoring fan which would be capable of adding to the forward thrust of the vehicle, thus improving its speed and range.