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Considering the latest introduction of the dry multiaxial fabrics into Aeronautical applications/programs (wing skins, Vertical Tail Plane [VTP] skins, winglets, bulkheads, cargo doors, etc.), together with the lack of automation for the preform creation and its deposition onto the corresponding molds, this paper will cover different potential solutions for the manufacturing of skins and stiffeners. In all cases, looking to the automated dry multiaxial fabric preform creation, lay-up and forming.

Abstract

The transport industry is dominated by the challenge on lightening the weight due to environmental restrictions and cost reduction. The use of different materials and multi-material designs provide a great opportunity to develop products capable of meeting this challenge. Critical aspects to be considered in multi-material manufacturing are surface preparation and dissimilar joining. The multi-material joining metal-composite thermoplastic (CTP) is critical for different aspects such as low adhesion due to a low chemical affinity or corrosion problems in the case of the use of carbon fiber reinforced composites. On the other hand, laser texturing is one of the most promising techniques to create surfaces with controlled roughness, manufacturing in a single step and improving metal-CTP adhesion, without the need to use adhesives.

This work, developed within the framework of the European COMMUNION project (GA680567), addresses the optimization of the direct joining process between different high-performance metals and thermoplastic composite cintas. The study deals with surface preparation using laser texturing, the study of different joining strategies and the characterization of joints using different techniques and Single-Lap Shear tests.

Depending on the texture, type of materials or manufacturing strategy, the strength of the joint is improved by 50-200%, achieving structural strength values (> 10MPa) in the optimized joints.

Abstract

The objective of the AIRPOXY project is to reduce production and maintenance, repair & operating (MRO) costs of composite parts in aeronautics, by introducing a new family of enhanced thermoset composites that preserve all the advantages of conventional thermosets, while show unprecedented new features such as Re-processability, Repairability and Recyclability. This new generation of composites, called 3R composites, are obtained using dynamic hardeners which create reversible crosslinks in the cured epoxy resin. Once the 3R composite has been produced, the dynamic chemical bonds in the cured resin can be reshuffled under determined external stimulus, such as temperature or exposure to a specific chemical agent.

The study describes the development of a first version of 3R composite that meets the requirements of the aeronautical sector. Firstly the resin has been formulated, then the composite laminates have been produced by Resin Transfer Moulding (RTM) and finally their dynamic and mechanical properties have been studied.