The major part of the work carried out during the first reporting period has been achieved in WP1, as foreseen in the GA. Initially, an in-detail review of the original seat design has been carried out, considering the restrictions and limitations of the manufacturing process, such as the Sheet Moulding Compound (SMC) as well as Wet Compression Moulding (WCM) techniques. Additionally, comments and specifications have been detailed in order to produce co-moulding process, i.e. to produce parts with SMC and local prepreg reinforcement composite within the same manufacturing step. This feedback has led to several changes in the initial design: modifications in the geometry to satisfy minimum radii, surface orientations to guarantee demoulding angles, changes in production processes of the seatback structure (WCM and SMC to Vacuum assisted resin transfer moulding) and local reinforcement of components by adding structural ribs. From the mechanical assessment point of view, several layups for the WCM and local reinforcement parts have been considered, and the optimum one will be used in the final component.
The Life cycle assessment data is performed in the WP2. The initial efforts have been focussed on carrying the LCA data analysis and collection of mould production.
Initial testing activities have been performed on WP3. During the duration of the first periodic report, the main testing tasks have been focussed on characterizing the machinal properties of the materials. First, a large testing matrix has been defined, to specify all the needed material parameters to feed the numerical simulations. From the material point of view, a complete material characterization campaign has been specified for each material: SMC, WCM and prepreg. Additionally, the tests to characterize the adhesive joints for single and dissimilar materials have been defined. Secondly, the first material plates of SMC (Polyurethane matrix reinforced with short recycled carbon fibres) and WCM have been manufactured. Last, the first mechanical tests have been carried out to obtain the elastic and fracture properties of the WCM material.
On the other hand, several activities have been implemented to facilitate the dissemination and exploitation of the project results. The most prominent one has been the attendance, as a sponsor, to the 7th ECCOMAS Thematic conference on the mechanical response of composites, held in Girona on September of 2019. The latest activity was focussed on the communication the HAIRMATE project is finalist in INTERNATIONAL JEC AWARD.
Finally, HAIRMATE project has allowed the manufacture of two seat prototypes, one of which has obtained surprising results in the first real 16G resistance tests, superior to those obtained in the finite element (or FEM) simulations carried out. The final test result shows the seat is capable to resist 10,68G maintaining structural integrity. The results show the design and the technology developed can be adopted in for aircraft seat primary and secondary structures of the future.
