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TRIMIS

Composite fuselage section Wafer Design Approach for Safety Increasing in Worst Case Situations and Joints Minimizing

PROJECTS
Funding
European
European Union
Duration
-
Status
Complete with results
Geo-spatial type
Other
Total project cost
€4 339 301
EU Contribution
€3 239 763
Project website
Project Acronym
WASIS
STRIA Roadmaps
Vehicle design and manufacturing (VDM)
Transport mode
Airborne icon
Transport policies
Safety/Security
Transport sectors
Passenger transport,
Freight transport

Overview

Call for proposal
FP7-AAT-2010-RTD-1
Link to CORDIS
Background & Policy context

Aeronautics is a key asset for the future of Europe. However, nowadays the industry has to face the challenge of "More Affordable, Safer, Cleaner and Quieter" while at the same time accounting for a demand that will triple over the next 20 years.

Objectives

The WASIS project aims to rise to this challenge with the development of a composite fuselage structure based on the lattice stiffening concept, optimizing geometrical and mass properties of transition zones of fuselage structural joints. Project overall concept is focused on simultaneous meeting environmental demands and rising safety, coupled with design and manufacturing cost-efficiency improvement.

Methodology

The lattice approach allows composites to obtain more efficient mechanical behaviour, reducing weight and optimizing structure performance, which will be proved by comparative simulations against other approaches. This will be combined with specially designed semi-loop and micro-pin joining elements to provide the ability of innovative non-regular lattice structure manufacturing, save aircraft weight, avoid fuselage section weakening due to cutting reinforcement fibres.

Furthermore, the structure will also be developed to better withstand worst situation loadings, assessing safety through the large adoption of simulation and virtual testing from the very first design stages to analyse explosions and material damping. Developed innovative fuselage section design will be merged with high-productive filament winding technology to reduce manufacturing costs and time, and samples will be manufactured in order to prove how the different concepts fit together. Complete testing of the samples will be applied to prove the wafer approach. This integrated approach will result in sufficient fuselage weight savings, manufacturing cost/time efficiency and safety increase.

Funding

Parent Programmes
Institution Type
Public institution
Institution Name
The European Commission
Type of funding
Public (EU)
Specific funding programme
FP7-TRANSPORT

Results

Stiffer fuselages, lighter planes

A new design for stiffening aircraft bodies will make them lighter and consequently, more fuel efficient. The European concept depends on a composite lattice design.

Fuel prices have greatly affected airline profitability and there is an urgent need for future aircraft to be cheaper and more fuel efficient. New designs will incorporate many cost-saving features, one of which will be aircraft-body (fuselage) stiffening.

This is the goal of the http://www.wasis.eu (WASIS) project, a partnership among 11 European organisations from 10 countries. Their broad goal is to develop a stiffer fuselage based on an all-composite lattice design. The project focuses on making medium-sized aircraft greener, safer and more efficient.

Specifically, WASIS will focus on reducing fuselage weight via several means. These include optimising shape and weight properties of the transition zone of fuselage joints, and replacing the joints with innovative micro-fasteners. The stiffer fuselage will be safer compared to conventional designs. The WASIS innovations will also reduce construction costs through automated manufacturing of wafer structures.

The project's first year saw the beginning of fuselage design that included all joints and openings so that manufacture would require fewer cuts. A wafer structure was designed using operational load scenarios, and then tested against conventional structures. All designs were simulated and refined during the project's second year.

Other work focused on the selection of materials suitable for the lattice design, from a list of candidates already used in aerospace. Chosen materials were tested during the second year.

Feasibility was assessed by manufacturing scaled demonstrators using different materials and techniques. These helped establish the feasibility of filament winding and tape placement as viable processes for the lattice structure. Other tests of manufacturing techniques are underway, including options for automation, combined with stress-testing of the resulting materials. Future work will merge fuselage design with filament-winding technology to reduce manufacturing costs.

WASIS offers a unique opportunity to combine modern composite materials with automated manufacturing, together leading to stronger and lighter aircraft frames. This will reduce fuel consumption and manufacturing wastage. Meanwhile, new designs will make repairs easier. These innovations will foster European industry.

Partners

Lead Organisation
Organisation
Fundacion Cidaut
Address
PLAZA VICENTE ALEIXANDRE CAMPOS 2 PQ TECNOLOGICO DE BOECILLO 209, 47151 VALLADOLID, Spain
Organisation website
EU Contribution
€463 607
Partner Organisations
Organisation
Institut Fuer Verbundwerkstoffe Gmbh
Address
ERWIN SCHRODINGER STRASSE GEB 58, 67663 KAISERSLAUTERN, Germany
Organisation website
EU Contribution
€401 700
Organisation
National Aerospace University "kharkiv Aviation Institute"
Address
17 Chkalova St., KHARKIV, 61070, Ukraine
Organisation website
EU Contribution
€339 500
Organisation
Comat Composite Materials Gmbh
Address
Marie Curie Strasse 1, 67661 Kaiserslautern, Germany
EU Contribution
€0
Organisation
Circomp Gmbh
Address
Marie Curie Strasse 11, 67661 Kaiserslautern, Germany
EU Contribution
€424 200
Organisation
Materials Engineering Research Laboratory Limited
Address
Wilbury Way, Hitchin - Herts, SG4 0TW, United Kingdom
EU Contribution
€166 337
Organisation
Comite Europeen De Normalisation
Address
Avenue Marnix 17, 1000 Bruxelles, Belgium
EU Contribution
€13 600
Organisation
Piaggio Aero Industries S.p.a
Address
Viale Castro Pretorio 116, 185 ROMA, Italy
Organisation website
EU Contribution
€178 839
Organisation
Netcomposites Limited
Address
Bridge Way 4A Broom Business Park, Chesterfield, S41 9QG, United Kingdom
EU Contribution
€236 510
Organisation
Atg Europe Bv
Address
Huygensstraat 34, 2201 DK Noordwijk, Netherlands
EU Contribution
€136 108
Organisation
Element Materials Technology Hitchin Limited
Address
Wilbury Way, Hitchin Herts, SG4 0TW, United Kingdom
EU Contribution
€186 159
Organisation
Inegi - Instituto De Ciencia E Inovacao Em Engenharia Mecanica E Engenharia Industrial
Address
Rua Dr Roberto Frias 400, 4200 465 Porto, Portugal
Organisation website
EU Contribution
€412 524
Organisation
Panepistimio Patron
Address
University Campus- Rio, 26500 Patras, Greece
Organisation website
EU Contribution
€280 680
Organisation
Corvus-Aircraft Sportrepulogep Gyarto Es Szolgaltato Korlatolt Tarsasag
Address
Balloszog, Ii Korzet 35, 6035, Hungary
EU Contribution
€0

Technologies

Technology Theme
Composite materials
Technology
Composite fuselage sections
Development phase
Research/Invention

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