Objective The project moves starting from a very simple concept: let us think of an airplane as a great body with its end structures that could have the possibility to change their shape as they had internal nerve endings and muscles.The aerodynamic shape of aircraft lifting surfaces must change during the flight, owing to the aerodynamic requirements of the different maneuvers (ascent and descent operations, yaw). Mobile surfaces are introduced in conventional wings to this purpose (ailerons, flaps, slats etc.), introducing at the same time inevitably additional weight, mechanisms, sources of vibrations and other well known limits.An interesting alternative to mobile surfaces could be represented by “self shaping wings”, i.e. wings the surface of which can be elastically deformed through its entire length, and managed in order to obtain the required lifting profile. Such wing performances could be obtained through the application of composite hybrid materials where layers of new generation of piezoelectric fibers are drowned, and trigged by relatively low voltage.Target of the research is the deep understanding of the technical feasibility and of the limits of such an application. Depending on the results, “self shaping wings” (or “Future Wings”) could be more deeply investigated and designed in order to replace ailerons, slats, tail wings, rudders and, probably, even flaps: the relevant technology could have really wide fields of applications (helicopter rotor blades, satellite panels, etc.).Project objectives will be pursued developing at first theoretical models and computational new generation algorithms aimed at designing, optimizing and afterwards manufacturing a scaled model of “Future Wing” on which experimental tests will be carried out in order to understand the viability of the original idea, which has the potential to bring a radical new approach to the design of flying vehicles lifting surfaces configuration. Fields of science engineering and technologymaterials engineeringfibersengineering and technologymechanical engineeringvehicle engineeringaerospace engineeringsatellite technologyengineering and technologymechanical engineeringvehicle engineeringaerospace engineeringaircraftrotorcraft Programme(s) FP7-TRANSPORT - Specific Programme "Cooperation": Transport (including Aeronautics) Topic(s) AAT.2012.6.3-1. - Breakthrough and emerging technologies Call for proposal FP7-AAT-2012-RTD-L0 See other projects for this call Funding Scheme CP-FP - Small or medium-scale focused research project Coordinator UNIVERSITA DI PISA Address Lungarno pacinotti 43/44 56126 Pisa Italy See on map Region Centro (IT) Toscana Pisa Activity type Higher or Secondary Education Establishments Administrative Contact Immacolata Viva (Mrs.) Links Contact the organisation Opens in new window Website Opens in new window EU contribution € 198 200,00 Participants (3) Sort alphabetically Sort by EU Contribution Expand all Collapse all PIAGGIO AERO INDUSTRIES SPA Italy EU contribution € 52 950,00 Address Largo angelo fochetti 29 00185 Roma See on map Region Centro (IT) Lazio Roma Activity type Private for-profit entities (excluding Higher or Secondary Education Establishments) Administrative Contact Alessandro Morando (Dr.) Links Contact the organisation Opens in new window Website Opens in new window SMART MATERIAL GMBH Germany EU contribution € 217 200,00 Address Lobtauer strasse 69 01159 Dresden See on map Region Sachsen Dresden Dresden, Kreisfreie Stadt Activity type Private for-profit entities (excluding Higher or Secondary Education Establishments) Administrative Contact Jan Kunzmann (Dr.) Links Contact the organisation Opens in new window Website Opens in new window ICHROME LTD United Kingdom EU contribution € 130 800,00 Address 20 portland heights dean street BS2 8RD Bristol See on map Region South West (England) Gloucestershire, Wiltshire and Bristol/Bath area Bristol, City of Activity type Private for-profit entities (excluding Higher or Secondary Education Establishments) Administrative Contact Luca Lanzi (Dr.) Links Contact the organisation Opens in new window Website Opens in new window
