Project description
Innovative thermoplastic composites for next-generation fuselage
The fuselage of the next generation of Large Passenger Aircraft (LPA) is currently being assessed and could take advantage of thermoplastic composites (TPC). Besides their intrinsic properties benefits, TPC have the potential to fill the gap between current and forecasted production rates. However, TPC production faces significant challenges, in particular manufacturing complex geometries of high quality. As an alternative to thermosets, the EU-funded FRAMES project will explore a manufacturing approach for an integral thermoplastic rear-end fuselage with critical design features. The project will rely on an intelligent heating system, efficient manufacturing processes for stiffeners and a self-heated tool, introducing an innovative double-curved and thick skin co-consolidation process, with its entire stiffening structure in one shot.
Objective
The fuselage of the next generation of Large Passenger Aircrafts´ (LPA) will be made with thermoplastic (TP) composites. In fact, even if this kind of materials are being increasingly used in aerospace industry, as they contribute to lighter aircrafts and consequently to fuel consumption reduction, there are still some issues to be overcome until this becomes a reality.
The manufacturing complex forms of rear end section with continuous fibre-reinforced TP still poses a considerable challenge: higher processing temperatures and raw material costs, need of complex temperature-controlled tooling, etc. Automated fibre placement (AFP) is a workable alternative for more complicated TP Composites (TPC) shapes with varying part thickness (e.g. fuselage shells, wing and stabilizer torsion boxes and stringers), but one of the challenges is void removal, which is more difficult with TP than with thermosets.
FRAMES aims to fully define technical and cost performance of an optimized integral TP rear end manufacturing process with critical design features as an alternative to thermoset materials. Thanks to a self-heated tool with process driven heating zones and advanced lay up process simulation, FRAMES will be capable of predicting heating law for efficient TP-AFP, correlated with lay-up trials, mastering TP-stiffeners manufacturing process, optimizing co-consolidation cycle. Its main innovation relies on the co-consolidation of a double curved and thick skin with its entire stiffening structure in one shot.
FRAMES will support the spread of alternative heating process for thermoplastic AFP by developing a simulation tool able to predefine processing parameters of the most common aerospace grades thermoplastics. At the end, the advanced rear end (ARE) concept that will allow the savings (NRC and maintenance costs, higher integration level at lighter weight, etc.) will be easily applicable to other panels or structures with the same interface principle or same architecture
Fields of science (EuroSciVoc)
CORDIS classifies projects with EuroSciVoc, a multilingual taxonomy of fields of science, through a semi-automatic process based on NLP techniques. See: The European Science Vocabulary.
CORDIS classifies projects with EuroSciVoc, a multilingual taxonomy of fields of science, through a semi-automatic process based on NLP techniques. See: The European Science Vocabulary.
- engineering and technology mechanical engineering manufacturing engineering
- engineering and technology materials engineering composites
- engineering and technology mechanical engineering vehicle engineering aerospace engineering aircraft
- natural sciences computer and information sciences software software applications simulation software
- social sciences law
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Keywords
Project’s keywords as indicated by the project coordinator. Not to be confused with the EuroSciVoc taxonomy (Fields of science)
Project’s keywords as indicated by the project coordinator. Not to be confused with the EuroSciVoc taxonomy (Fields of science)
Programme(s)
Multi-annual funding programmes that define the EU’s priorities for research and innovation.
Multi-annual funding programmes that define the EU’s priorities for research and innovation.
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H2020-EU.3.4. - SOCIETAL CHALLENGES - Smart, Green And Integrated Transport
MAIN PROGRAMME
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H2020-EU.3.4.5.1. - IADP Large Passenger Aircraft
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Topic(s)
Calls for proposals are divided into topics. A topic defines a specific subject or area for which applicants can submit proposals. The description of a topic comprises its specific scope and the expected impact of the funded project.
Calls for proposals are divided into topics. A topic defines a specific subject or area for which applicants can submit proposals. The description of a topic comprises its specific scope and the expected impact of the funded project.
Funding Scheme
Funding scheme (or “Type of Action”) inside a programme with common features. It specifies: the scope of what is funded; the reimbursement rate; specific evaluation criteria to qualify for funding; and the use of simplified forms of costs like lump sums.
Funding scheme (or “Type of Action”) inside a programme with common features. It specifies: the scope of what is funded; the reimbursement rate; specific evaluation criteria to qualify for funding; and the use of simplified forms of costs like lump sums.
IA - Innovation action
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Call for proposal
Procedure for inviting applicants to submit project proposals, with the aim of receiving EU funding.
Procedure for inviting applicants to submit project proposals, with the aim of receiving EU funding.
(opens in new window) H2020-CS2-CFP10-2019-01
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Net EU financial contribution. The sum of money that the participant receives, deducted by the EU contribution to its linked third party. It considers the distribution of the EU financial contribution between direct beneficiaries of the project and other types of participants, like third-party participants.
64210 Bidart
France
The organization defined itself as SME (small and medium-sized enterprise) at the time the Grant Agreement was signed.
The total costs incurred by this organisation to participate in the project, including direct and indirect costs. This amount is a subset of the overall project budget.