Project description DEENESFRITPL New welding tool for Europe’s aircraft assembly line The joining of thermoplastic composites (TPCs) is an important step in the manufacturing of aerospace TPC structures. The next generation of passenger aircraft will make extensive use of TPCs, which are lighter in weight and can be joined by welding. Not only does this eliminate the need for fasteners but also improves reliability and reduces assembly costs. To leverage the full potential of TPCs in aviation, the EU-funded TCTOOL project will develop new end-effectors for the jigless assembly of TPC fuselage structures. It will also develop new adaptive tooling for the welding of thermoplastic fuselage skin to stringers and frames. The aim is to achieve cost-effective zero-defects assembly for Europe’s aircraft assembly lines. Show the project objective Hide the project objective Objective The next generation of large passenger aircraft will make extensive use of thermoplastic composites which could replace thermoset composites and metals in many areas of aircraft construction. Thermoplastic composites can be lighter in weight even than thermoset composites, but the key advantage is that they can be joined together using welding processes. This has the potential to eliminate many of the hundreds of thousands of fasteners in an aircraft, improving reliability and reducing assembly costs by over 60%.To take full advantage of thermoplastic composites weldability will require the development of innovative new approaches to tooling and automation to eliminate or reduce fixed tooling costs which can account for more than one third of non-recurring costs.This project will develop innovative new end-effectors for jigless assembly of thermoplastic composite fuselage structures and new adaptive tooling for the welding of thermoplastic fuselage skin to stringers and frames. This will allow highly automated assembly of these complex structures with tooling that can be re-configured digitally and re-used. The project will also deliver simulation tools and perform manufacturing simulations to quantify variations in assembly, risk of defects, and optimise the process to achieve cost-effective zero-defects assembly.This €1050k project will be led by TWI a major industrial research organisation with world-leading expertise in composites joining and large equipment design, FADA-CATEC Center for Advanced Aerospace Technologies with expertise in robotic assembly and aerospace technology, London South Bank University – developers of innovative robotic and end-effector solutions, Brunel University – experts in thermoplastic composites welding and AcroFlight – experts in virtual engineering and simulation. Fields of science engineering and technologymaterials engineeringcompositesengineering and technologymechanical engineeringvehicle engineeringaerospace engineeringaircraftsocial sciencessociologyindustrial relationsautomationengineering and technologyelectrical engineering, electronic engineering, information engineeringelectronic engineeringroboticsnatural sciencescomputer and information sciencessoftwaresoftware applicationssimulation software Programme(s) H2020-EU.3.4. - SOCIETAL CHALLENGES - Smart, Green And Integrated Transport Main Programme H2020-EU.3.4.5.1. - IADP Large Passenger Aircraft Topic(s) JTI-CS2-2018-CFP09-LPA-02-28 - Innovative tooling, end-effector development and industrialisation for welding of thermoplastic components Call for proposal H2020-CS2-CFP09-2018-02 See other projects for this call Funding Scheme CS2-IA - Innovation action Coordinator TWI LIMITED Net EU contribution € 357 943,23 Address Granta park great abington CB21 6AL Cambridge United Kingdom See on map Region East of England East Anglia Cambridgeshire CC Activity type Private for-profit entities (excluding Higher or Secondary Education Establishments) Links Contact the organisation Opens in new window Website Opens in new window Participation in EU R&I programmes Opens in new window HORIZON collaboration network Opens in new window Other funding € 0,01 Participants (4) Sort alphabetically Sort by Net EU contribution Expand all Collapse all FUNDACION ANDALUZA PARA EL DESARROLLO AEROESPACIAL Spain Net EU contribution € 217 518,75 Address Calle wilbur y orville wright num 17, parque aerop 41039 La rinconada sevilla See on map Region Sur Andalucía Sevilla Activity type Research Organisations Links Contact the organisation Opens in new window Website Opens in new window Participation in EU R&I programmes Opens in new window HORIZON collaboration network Opens in new window Other funding € 0,00 BRUNEL UNIVERSITY LONDON United Kingdom Net EU contribution € 73 437,50 Address Kingston lane UB8 3PH Uxbridge See on map Region London Outer London — West and North West Harrow and Hillingdon Activity type Higher or Secondary Education Establishments Links Contact the organisation Opens in new window Website Opens in new window Participation in EU R&I programmes Opens in new window HORIZON collaboration network Opens in new window Other funding € 0,00 LONDON SOUTH BANK UNIVERSITY LBG United Kingdom Net EU contribution € 278 005,89 Address Borough road 103 SE10AA London See on map Region London Inner London — East Lewisham and Southwark Activity type Higher or Secondary Education Establishments Links Contact the organisation Opens in new window Website Opens in new window Participation in EU R&I programmes Opens in new window HORIZON collaboration network Opens in new window Other funding € 0,00 ACROFLIGHT LTD United Kingdom Net EU contribution € 122 451,88 Address 146 high street CM12 9DF Billericay See on map SME The organization defined itself as SME (small and medium-sized enterprise) at the time the Grant Agreement was signed. Yes Region East of England Essex Essex Thames Gateway Activity type Private for-profit entities (excluding Higher or Secondary Education Establishments) Links Contact the organisation Opens in new window Participation in EU R&I programmes Opens in new window HORIZON collaboration network Opens in new window Other funding € 52 479,37
