- Cost-effective manufacturing of primary aircraft structures
- Development of dedicated out-of-autoclave (OOA) vacuum infusion technology
- Winner of JEC Innovation Award, Category: Aeronautics
A group of French companies have jointly developed a protoype of a self-stiffened aircraft fuselage panel demonstrator. The development shows the possibility to manufacture primary aircraft structures using cost-effective materials and highly automated processes. The results demonstrate the possibility to meet cost and build rate targets of next-generation aircrafts.
Development of dedicated out-of-autoclave (OOA) vacuum infusion technology
This prototype demonstrates three major developments: first, the design of a self-stiffened fuselage panel in order to use an automated process for dry preforms and out-of-autoclave (OOA) vacuum infusion technology. Second, the automation of dry preform manufacturing (dry AFP) using the latest generation of Hexcel’s UD dry reinforcements (HiTape), specifically developed for the cost-effective manufacturing of primary aircraft structures. In addition, a dedicated OOA vacuum infusion technology meeting the complex shape design and high mechanical performance requirements of the composite parts were developed.
The prototype was developed in close collaboration between Aerolia SAS, Coriolis Composites, associated with CompositAdour, and Hexcel.
