New end-to-end digital framework for optimized manufacturing and maintenance of next generation aircraft composite structures

Project Information

GENEX

Grant agreement ID: 101056822

DOI

10.3030/101056822

Project closed

EC signature date 10 May 2022

Start date 1 September 2022

End date 28 February 2026

Funded under

• Climate, Energy and Mobility

Total cost

€ 5 691 451,75

EU contribution

€ 5 691 451,00

Coordinated by

INSTITUTO TECNOLOGICO DE ARAGON
Spain

Periodic Reporting for period 2 - GENEX (New end-to-end digital framework for optimized manufacturing and maintenance of next generation aircraft composite structures)

Reporting period: 2024-03-01 to 2025-02-28

Summary of the context and overall objectives of the project

Global aviation accounts for approximately 2.1% of global CO2 emissions and, by 2050, are expected to be seven to ten times higher than in 1990 due to the increase in air-traffic. To achieve the EU environmental goals by 2050, drastic improvements over current existing aircraft configurations should be implemented in terms of energy efficiency, reduction of the environmental impact, or increase of passenger comfort and safety . In this context, the implementation of novel holistic and circular approaches, leveraging the potential of Artificial Intelligence (AI), Internet of Things (IIoT), digital twins (DT), and automate robotics solutions will offer the European aeronautics industry and the whole aviation ecosystem the opportunity to maintain their global competitiveness and leadership while moving forward towards climate neutrality.
Thus, in GENEX, the development of a novel holistic end-to-end DT-driven approach is proposed. The main goal is to provide a framework for managing data from all systems and tools for gaining knowledge from overall composite component lifecycle by the integration of (1) innovative in-line process monitoring systems for measuring the manufacturing quality, (2) optimized on-board and on-site sensors for structural health and usage monitoring and remaining useful life prediction, and (3) advanced digital-based tools and methods for improving maintenance and repairing.
By building the new DT framework, GENEX target to deliver digital and eco-efficient manufacturing technologies to ensure flawless entry into service of composite parts as well as to advance further health assessment and MRO processes to allow continuous airworthiness of European aircrafts.

Work performed from the beginning of the project to the end of the period covered by the report and main results achieved so far

During the first 18 months of the project, the consortium worked on the definition of specifications of materials, sensors, and systems to be developed and/or used during the project as well as on the initial development of the technologies to digitalize the different stages of the composite component lifecycle: manufacturing, operation and repair.
During the second reporting period, parallel work continued in the three main technological blocks, namely: manufacturing, health and usage monitoring and repair. The main achievements of each block are summarised as follows:
(1) A new 3R resin formulation suitable for prepreg development with aeronautic grade and suitable for ATL manufacturing has been formulated. Additionally, ATL tapes of this material with integrated fiber optic sensors (FOS) and MFC transducers have been developed to enable real-time monitoring of the ATL consolidation process, and SHM applications, respectively. Hybrid and data-driven models for enhanced crystallization and curing kinetics have been calibrated and validated. Also, a method for the monitoring of DoC and DoCr by THz measurements was developed and successful implemented both on 3R-resin tapes as TP tapes.
(2) Both hardware and software for health and usage monitoring have been developed. On the hardware side, sensor nodes' analog circuits (actuation and acquisition) were design, simulated and manufactured to interface with the sensor network. Virtual transducer and virtual damage concepts have been developed to optimize the sensor network configuration in planar delamination. On the software side, an open-source, HPC-capable finite element method-based multiphysics solver for ultrasonic guided wave propagation simulation has been developed and validated. Additionally, a toolbox based on Deep Learning technology has been implemented to predict location and size of delamination damages. Finally, a fracture propagation characterization and modelling has been completed for commercial (A350) material, and it is almost finished for 3R resin laminates.
(3) Four different digital repair technologies have been developed. I) The software interface and scarf generation of the Visual Assisted Scarfing System has been finalized and validated. It is ready for data transfer to the digital twin. II) A Portable LIBS system with laser cleaning has been designed, assembled and validated. III) A blanket design optimization tool has been integrated and completed together. The algorithm for repair heating process control has been developed and is ready to be embedded within the DT framework. IV) A new crack stopping material has been successfully validated as well as a new sensor for crack detection in bondlines.
Transversal to all these activities, a scalable and adaptable Digital Twin framework has been implemented with the following functionalities: Digital Twin per OPC Server, Local Cloud-Edge communication, standard OPC-UA models, hardware mapping integration, real-time synchronization, enhanced digital twin flexibility, cloud architecture deployment, error management & notifications, template services & model creation, custom model relationships, deletion workflows, edge component deployment, localized data processing. Additionally, seamless integration with manufacturing processes has been stablished.
LCA and LCC is under development from the beginning of the project with the collaboration of all partners to prepare the overall evaluation by the end of the project.
Finally, an Advisory Board has been established with immediate interactions between GENEX innovations and MRO industrial requirements.

Progress beyond the state of the art and expected potential impact (including the socio-economic impact and the wider societal implications of the project so far)

The main purpose of GENEX is to develop a disruptive holistic approach covering the whole value chain of composite parts, from design, material, and manufacturing to operation, MRO and EOL to support the next-generation digital aircraft transformation. The integration of all these technologies into a single IIoT platform is expected to impact on the disruptive technologies entering into service by 2035. However, to allow for the implementation of such solution, a supportive regulatory and standardisation framework shall be developed and supported by future demonstration.