A “Smart” Self-monitoring composite tool for aerospace composite manufacturing using Silicon photonic multi-sEnsors Embedded using through-thickness Reinforcement techniques

Project Information

SEER

Grant agreement ID: 871875

DOI

10.3030/871875

Project closed

EC signature date 5 December 2019

Start date 1 January 2020

End date 31 December 2023

Funded under

• INDUSTRIAL LEADERSHIP - Leadership in enabling and industrial technologies - Information and Communication Technologies (ICT)

Total cost

€ 5 962 311,96

EU contribution

€ 5 089 284,75

Coordinated by

EREVNITIKO PANEPISTIMIAKO INSTITOUTO SYSTIMATON EPIKOINONION KAI YPOLOGISTON
Greece

Periodic Reporting for period 3 - SEER (A “Smart” Self-monitoring composite tool for aerospace composite manufacturing using Silicon photonic multi-sEnsors Embedded using through-thickness Reinforcement techniques)

Reporting period: 2023-01-01 to 2023-12-31

Summary of the context and overall objectives of the project

An increase in airline traffic, coupled with rising fuel costs and strict environmental regulations, is driving the increased use of composite materials in the aerospace industry.
Using silicon photonic multi-sensors, the EU-funded SEER project has shown the critical need to sensorise the composite tooling, probing the temperature as well as the need for measurement of RI and Pressure on the surface of the resin during curing.
The project developed miniature photonic sensors to embed in the tool with through-the-thickness techniques as well as other integration methods and has proven that the structural integrity of the tool is minimal, with no impact on the fabricated composite panel.
Temperature integrated photonic chips based sensors have been designed, fabricated, and packaged, and ultimately used to monitor at operational industrial environment RTM processes with two large composite tools, one with stringers and one with double curves. Using smart algorithms and optimised curing cycles, SEER has managed to demonstrate that savings in curing time cycles up to 35% can be achieved. Significant progress towards realising Refractive index sensors and Pressure has been made within SEER, including appropriate coating to ensure the robustness of the sensors during the use in industrial applications. Detailed Life Cycle Cost Analysis was also carried out for the entirety of the SEER sensing system, which included the photonic sensor, the PMOC system, the composite tooling and the integration in the tools.

Work performed from the beginning of the project to the end of the period covered by the report and main results achieved so far

SEER partners have managed to design, fabricate, optimise the interfaces and package a Temperature Photonic Integrated (PIC) sensors that were integrated and validated at TRL 7 (Operational industrial environment). The packaging is suitable for multisensors, as well as the designs that were fabricated using MPWs from EUROPRACTICE. This ensures that the Refractive index (showcased at laboratory environment) and the pressure sensors (under development) can easily be incorporated and used in composite applications.
3 generations of composite tooling were manufactured, with the last two tools weighting more than 3 tonnes each (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UB5Sc46yzag&t=342s) , all of them with integrated photonic sensors. Validation experiments demonstrated the need to measure and probe the surface of the resin during the curing cycles.
A SEER flexible Process Monitoring, operation and control (PMOC) system was developed, compatible with the tooling, the photonic sensors, as well as the ML algorithms that were used on optimised curing cycles. The ML algorithms, capitalised on optimised curing cycles, and were validated to shave off up to 33% of the modelled total cure time for RTM-6.

Progress beyond the state of the art and expected potential impact (including the socio-economic impact and the wider societal implications of the project so far)

SEER has 3 major innovations with implications for the overall composite manufacturing industry (in terms of cost savings and environmental impact) but also with potential application in other industrial sectors. In brief, firstly the composite tooling with integrated probes ensures the viability of the composite tooling and promotes the move from all metal tools to much more energy efficient composite tools. Secondly, the miniaturised PIC based photonic sensors have been validated to TRL7, which shows that all-passive sensors (Impervious to EMI/EMC and radiation), using well established (MPW) based designs, can be packaged and operating for at least a range of temperature 25-180 degC monitoring the RTM-6 curing cycles exactly were they are needed, all the while validated several insertions methods in composite materials without compromising their mechanical properties. Finally, a flexible PMOC system, capable of monitoring and controlling based on photonic sensors was developed, while also supporting the execution of fast ML algorithms, that could predict Temperature overshoot and total cure time with accuracies of 97% and above.

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