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Two parts of a composite assembly must mate to a metallic substructure within tight tolerance. The design approach is typically:
A{'text': 'Ignore tolerances', 'label': 'A'}
B{'text': 'Add SHIMS (compliant or rigid fillers) to compensate for thickness variation, or use sacrificial plies that are machined to final dimension', 'label': 'B'}
C{'text': 'Use only one ply', 'label': 'C'}
D{'text': 'Mount with maximum gap', 'label': 'D'}
Answer & Solution
Correct answer: B. {'text': 'Add SHIMS (compliant or rigid fillers) to compensate for thickness variation, or use sacrificial plies that are machined to final dimension', 'label': 'B'}
Composite thickness variability is real. Two standard fixes: (1) measurable shims (custom-fit at assembly) added between the composite and the metal substructure, (2) extra "sacrificial" plies that are machined to the precise dimension at assembly. Both are common in aerospace.
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