Improved Mold Design for Impact Testing of Stiffened Panels: Enhancing Structural Integrity

This study presents the development of a mold design intended to ensure the suitability of stiffened panels for compression after impact (CAI) testing. In the original mold system, specimens exhibited edge separation and adhesive bond failures following impact, making them unsuitable for further testing. To address this issue, a new mold was designed to grip the panel from all sides while preserving its structural integrity. A comparative assessment was conducted using post-impact observations from both the original and improved systems. With the improved mold, a 30 J impact test was performed, after which the specimen retained its structural integrity and remained viable for CAI evaluation.