Periodic Reporting for period 3 - FITCoW (Full-scale Innovative integrated Tooling for Composite material Wing-box)
Reporting period: 2021-08-01 to 2022-02-28
FITCoW is an ambitious project regarding the conception and development of an integrated tooling system capable of manufacturing large composite structures and parts. It aims at introducing new technology in the unconventional area of composite materials by improving the efficiency of the fabrication method.
The novel tooling system allows for an increased volume of work at a lower cost, with less time and energy spent during the manufacturing process as well as minimal material waste. This translates into having a direct impact on the carbon footprint, as well as an improvement in economic terms.
The designed tooling system proves itself to be versatile, as is capable of producing composite structures through prepreg and LRI methods. Therefore, the beneficiary isn’t constrained by the tooling to a single manufacturing method. Regarding the fiber-laying process, the tooling is compatible with automated lay-up methods such as AFP or ATL, besides the traditional manual lay-ups.
The impact of the developed manufacturing process in FITCoW through the tooling design and manufacturing allows for lighter aviation structures which directly translates into a better fuel efficiency and global competitiveness of the industry.
The novel tooling system allows for an increased volume of work at a lower cost, with less time and energy spent during the manufacturing process as well as minimal material waste. This translates into having a direct impact on the carbon footprint, as well as an improvement in economic terms.
The designed tooling system proves itself to be versatile, as is capable of producing composite structures through prepreg and LRI methods. Therefore, the beneficiary isn’t constrained by the tooling to a single manufacturing method. Regarding the fiber-laying process, the tooling is compatible with automated lay-up methods such as AFP or ATL, besides the traditional manual lay-ups.
The impact of the developed manufacturing process in FITCoW through the tooling design and manufacturing allows for lighter aviation structures which directly translates into a better fuel efficiency and global competitiveness of the industry.
FITCoW has completed the scheduled activities of WP1, WP2, WP3 and WP4 – management activities.
During Work Package 1, the main concept features had been outlined and built upon. Rigorous technical documentation contributed substantially to the preliminary design work that was performed. Fully understanding the concept and requirements provided by the Topic Manager played an important role in developing a stable, scalable small-scale demonstrator of the FITCoW tooling assembly. Regulatory requirements had to be fully defined in order to assure stability and integrity in later stages. The main limitations of the tooling assembly had to be also defined in relation to the curing conditions. These variables have an important role in the overall quality of the tooling (i.e.: the maximum temperature attained in the curing process has to be lower than the particular Tg of each material used in tooling manufacturing, Tg – glass transition temperature, temperature at which resin becomes solid).
A material trade-off analysis was carried out within the Consortium.
The final DMU checked all the shortcomings of the previous versions. A new, redesigned End-to-end system was introduced. It enabled out-of-bag fixture of the Spar Tooling, as well as facile manipulation. Improvements were also brought to the pressure plates. The system was fitted with new manipulation devices, designed specifically for the Topic Leader’s infrastructure. Various elements were also reworked. Throughout the three DMU versions, the concept was heavily refined and optimized. The workflow steps were reduced, result that directly translates into shorter time spent in the tooling assembly phase.
Work package 2
The extraction system was finally settled upon after more than 9 individual design iterations. In the final concept, four extraction plates will be integrated into each spar tool. These plates will be actuated by an internal mechanism and allow the spar tools to be pushed out of the produced spars.
The INCAS design team was in charge of parameterizing the input surfaces for the Full-scale Assembly in order to allow for a quick and dynamic spring-in compensation of the 7-meter tools.
The skin tool design was matured by Tekno Compositi with respect to the specific requirements that came from the Topic Leaders regarding the technological features that had to be implemented in the Full-scale Demonstrator. Auxiliary infrastructure was also designed in order to enable manufacturing of the large composite structure. Materials were selected and the technological process was defined based on prior experience with the Small-scale Demonstrator.
The spar tools were designed by ROMAERO with respect to the specific features that had to be implemented in the large-scale structure. Additionally, the extraction mechanisms were also defined and implemented into the design of the spar tools.
The auxiliary components were designed by both ROMAERO and Tekno. Scaling and implementing these into the Full-scale Tooling model was facile and encountered no shortcomings.
Work package 3
The final technical work package of FITCOW deals with the completion of the 7-meter tooling according to the technical advances of the previous work packages. The action was completed by the industrial partners of FITCoW, TEKNO COMPOSITI and ROMAERO. After the completion of the skin took, TEKNO COMPOSITI has sent the complete skin tool assembly at ROMAERO premises for the final assembly of the tooling and the acceptance procedure together with the IAI technical team. The final phase of FITCoW was completed at ROMAERO, with the final checking of the complete tooling with the consortium specialists and the Topic Manager. At the end of the acceptance activities, FITCoW and IAI signed an acceptance protocol that proves the tooling is being accepted by the Topic Manager and will be delivered to IAI as a final stage and closing of technical activities.
The NDI and acceptance aimed to present the FSD measurements, in order to prove that the geometrical deviations were within the accepted tolerances, in respect with the DMU. The actual FSD data that stands as reference has been adjusted after initial SSD studies that were meant to understand the spring in phenomenon.
The final acceptance focused on two main directions:
1. Given the tool length it was mandatory to respect the alignment procedure proposed by the skin tool manufacturer. Therefore, we included the procedure to get a clear view on how TEKNO and ROMAERO prepared the tool before performing their measurements. Also, this is a procedure that the beneficiary should operate with each time it uses the tool in order for final assembly to remain within the accepted tolerances.
2. The later part of the document presents the actual results of the measurements performed at both TEKNO and ROMAERO, during the curing and post-curing phases. To get accurate data, measurements have been performed using laser trackers. We need this in order to achieve the lowest tolerances possible so that we should also validate/check the thermal behavior that has been previously analyzed (see D2.1 deliverable).
During Work Package 1, the main concept features had been outlined and built upon. Rigorous technical documentation contributed substantially to the preliminary design work that was performed. Fully understanding the concept and requirements provided by the Topic Manager played an important role in developing a stable, scalable small-scale demonstrator of the FITCoW tooling assembly. Regulatory requirements had to be fully defined in order to assure stability and integrity in later stages. The main limitations of the tooling assembly had to be also defined in relation to the curing conditions. These variables have an important role in the overall quality of the tooling (i.e.: the maximum temperature attained in the curing process has to be lower than the particular Tg of each material used in tooling manufacturing, Tg – glass transition temperature, temperature at which resin becomes solid).
A material trade-off analysis was carried out within the Consortium.
The final DMU checked all the shortcomings of the previous versions. A new, redesigned End-to-end system was introduced. It enabled out-of-bag fixture of the Spar Tooling, as well as facile manipulation. Improvements were also brought to the pressure plates. The system was fitted with new manipulation devices, designed specifically for the Topic Leader’s infrastructure. Various elements were also reworked. Throughout the three DMU versions, the concept was heavily refined and optimized. The workflow steps were reduced, result that directly translates into shorter time spent in the tooling assembly phase.
Work package 2
The extraction system was finally settled upon after more than 9 individual design iterations. In the final concept, four extraction plates will be integrated into each spar tool. These plates will be actuated by an internal mechanism and allow the spar tools to be pushed out of the produced spars.
The INCAS design team was in charge of parameterizing the input surfaces for the Full-scale Assembly in order to allow for a quick and dynamic spring-in compensation of the 7-meter tools.
The skin tool design was matured by Tekno Compositi with respect to the specific requirements that came from the Topic Leaders regarding the technological features that had to be implemented in the Full-scale Demonstrator. Auxiliary infrastructure was also designed in order to enable manufacturing of the large composite structure. Materials were selected and the technological process was defined based on prior experience with the Small-scale Demonstrator.
The spar tools were designed by ROMAERO with respect to the specific features that had to be implemented in the large-scale structure. Additionally, the extraction mechanisms were also defined and implemented into the design of the spar tools.
The auxiliary components were designed by both ROMAERO and Tekno. Scaling and implementing these into the Full-scale Tooling model was facile and encountered no shortcomings.
Work package 3
The final technical work package of FITCOW deals with the completion of the 7-meter tooling according to the technical advances of the previous work packages. The action was completed by the industrial partners of FITCoW, TEKNO COMPOSITI and ROMAERO. After the completion of the skin took, TEKNO COMPOSITI has sent the complete skin tool assembly at ROMAERO premises for the final assembly of the tooling and the acceptance procedure together with the IAI technical team. The final phase of FITCoW was completed at ROMAERO, with the final checking of the complete tooling with the consortium specialists and the Topic Manager. At the end of the acceptance activities, FITCoW and IAI signed an acceptance protocol that proves the tooling is being accepted by the Topic Manager and will be delivered to IAI as a final stage and closing of technical activities.
The NDI and acceptance aimed to present the FSD measurements, in order to prove that the geometrical deviations were within the accepted tolerances, in respect with the DMU. The actual FSD data that stands as reference has been adjusted after initial SSD studies that were meant to understand the spring in phenomenon.
The final acceptance focused on two main directions:
1. Given the tool length it was mandatory to respect the alignment procedure proposed by the skin tool manufacturer. Therefore, we included the procedure to get a clear view on how TEKNO and ROMAERO prepared the tool before performing their measurements. Also, this is a procedure that the beneficiary should operate with each time it uses the tool in order for final assembly to remain within the accepted tolerances.
2. The later part of the document presents the actual results of the measurements performed at both TEKNO and ROMAERO, during the curing and post-curing phases. To get accurate data, measurements have been performed using laser trackers. We need this in order to achieve the lowest tolerances possible so that we should also validate/check the thermal behavior that has been previously analyzed (see D2.1 deliverable).
Development of tooling for one-shot manufacturing of complex aerostructures to reduce manufacturing cost and increase competitiveness.
Development of a manufacturing methodology for primary structural parts without the need of autoclave curing simplifying the process and reducing manufacturing costs.
Development of all the tooling with FEA to accurately predict the behavior of the different components during operation to reduce development time and costs
while increasing the performance of the tooling.
Overall in the project, the developments presented will prove that through the manufacturing with FITCoW tooling a simpler, lighter and more cost-efficient wing box structure can be manufactured in comparison to the prepreg-autoclave process currently used.
The manufacturing process required eliminates the need for autoclave (cutting down operational costs by approximately 50%).
Development of a manufacturing methodology for primary structural parts without the need of autoclave curing simplifying the process and reducing manufacturing costs.
Development of all the tooling with FEA to accurately predict the behavior of the different components during operation to reduce development time and costs
while increasing the performance of the tooling.
Overall in the project, the developments presented will prove that through the manufacturing with FITCoW tooling a simpler, lighter and more cost-efficient wing box structure can be manufactured in comparison to the prepreg-autoclave process currently used.
The manufacturing process required eliminates the need for autoclave (cutting down operational costs by approximately 50%).