Periodic Reporting for period 2 - DELTA (Development and Execution of innovative test procedures for vaLidation of Thermoplastic Aircraft fuselage panels)
Período documentado: 2021-01-01 hasta 2022-11-30
Thermoplastic composites boast outstanding characteristics such as repairability and recyclability, making them increasingly valuable in the aviation industry. Comprising a polymer matrix with embedded inclusions normally of carbon fiber, their properties can be designed as they are dependent on the material typology and configurations used as well as the manufacturing process.
DELTA project will carry out extensive stress analysis tests on composite fuselage parts produced by out-of-autoclave technology. This curing process is gaining widespread acceptance in the aerospace industry because it produces high-quality parts at a much lower cost, time and resources consumption compared to the traditional autoclave technology.
Development and execution of innovative experimental testing procedures, will enable obtaining test results at structural detail and sub-component levels, which will help validate out-of-autoclave technology for the future production of fuselage parts using optimal material.
DELTA will impact positively European Union aeronautic sector competitiveness through the demonstration of thermoplastic curved fuselage panels using advanced test system. This will enable to reduce the costs associated to the certification of curved fuselage panels, since it will decrease the number of tests necessary and hence, reduce the number of specimens to be manufactured. Moreover, optimization of safety factors by performing combined load validation will contribute to a more optimized material usage and lower aircraft weight. All of this will contribute to a reduction of CO2 emissions. The outcomes of this project will enable the validation of this concept design and out-of-autoclave manufacturing process proposed for a composite material with thermoplastic polymer matrix.
DELTA project will carry out extensive stress analysis tests on composite fuselage parts produced by out-of-autoclave technology. This curing process is gaining widespread acceptance in the aerospace industry because it produces high-quality parts at a much lower cost, time and resources consumption compared to the traditional autoclave technology.
Development and execution of innovative experimental testing procedures, will enable obtaining test results at structural detail and sub-component levels, which will help validate out-of-autoclave technology for the future production of fuselage parts using optimal material.
DELTA will impact positively European Union aeronautic sector competitiveness through the demonstration of thermoplastic curved fuselage panels using advanced test system. This will enable to reduce the costs associated to the certification of curved fuselage panels, since it will decrease the number of tests necessary and hence, reduce the number of specimens to be manufactured. Moreover, optimization of safety factors by performing combined load validation will contribute to a more optimized material usage and lower aircraft weight. All of this will contribute to a reduction of CO2 emissions. The outcomes of this project will enable the validation of this concept design and out-of-autoclave manufacturing process proposed for a composite material with thermoplastic polymer matrix.
A test campaign si defined and executed following Building Block Approach from structural details up to subcomponent level (Levels 2 and 3). First, key material properties will be obtained through low-complexity level tests. Then, a curved panel test system which allows to apply combined loading representative of aircraft in-service life conditions will be used. Innovative tooling solutions will be incorporated in the design of the panel interfaces which will be optimized through FEM simulations developed to assess the influence of the tooling on the load redistribution that occurs during the test execution. The test system enables a high level of accuracy while offering flexibility, as well as a reduction of costs and lead times. The intended testing campaign at the subcomponent level will allow TRL 6 demonstration, by applying coupled and uncoupled load states (e.g. pure compression, compression plus internal pressure).
The traditional problem for industry is qualification and certification campaigns are time-lasting and costly. There is also a major technical issue that has to be faced, how to apply representative boundary conditions and load states to curved parts. In the past, some companies overcome these limitations by testing a complete fuselage section but this means a considerable increase in cost and time. That is reason why various testing companies and research center have been working on the development of a test bench/machine able to apply the correct boundary conditions and load states at an early stage of the development of the structure (fuselage).
The execution of DELTA project will match the expected impacts set out by the topic and detailed in the CS2JU Work Plan:
•Reducing CO2 emissions. DELTA will also contribute to reduce CO2 emissions since Out of Autoclave processing, which will be validated through the assessment of fuselage panel mechanical behaviour, can reduce improve the environmental performance of composite manufacture.
•Improving EU competitiveness. DELTA will impact positively European Union aeronautic sector competitiveness at two levels. One of them is related to the direct outcome of the project: the experimental procedure to validate curved fuselage panels. Furthermore, the panel validation procedure will enable to reduce the costs associated to the certification of curved fuselage panels, since it will decrease the number of tests necessary and hence, reduce the number of specimens to be manufactured.
Additionally, the execution of DELTA project will enable the integration of thermoplastic composites in primary aircraft structures.
The execution of DELTA project will match the expected impacts set out by the topic and detailed in the CS2JU Work Plan:
•Reducing CO2 emissions. DELTA will also contribute to reduce CO2 emissions since Out of Autoclave processing, which will be validated through the assessment of fuselage panel mechanical behaviour, can reduce improve the environmental performance of composite manufacture.
•Improving EU competitiveness. DELTA will impact positively European Union aeronautic sector competitiveness at two levels. One of them is related to the direct outcome of the project: the experimental procedure to validate curved fuselage panels. Furthermore, the panel validation procedure will enable to reduce the costs associated to the certification of curved fuselage panels, since it will decrease the number of tests necessary and hence, reduce the number of specimens to be manufactured.
Additionally, the execution of DELTA project will enable the integration of thermoplastic composites in primary aircraft structures.