Manufacture of INvar fOam for Lightweight tooling Applications (MINOLA)
This project proposes the manufacture of low-mass, high accuracy tooling technologies, through the development of ferrous/nickel alloy (Invar) foam. Known for its low coefficient of thermal expansion, Invar is used widely for tooling, but is heavy and expensive. The key innovation proposed is the up-scaled manufacture of Invar foam, enabling low mass tooling with greatly increased dimensional stability and accuracy. This will lead to higher component dimensional tolerance and reduced expense associated with assembly, shimming and tooling heat-up. Previous attempts to use ceramic foam-based tooling have failed due to low inherent strengths, poor thermal conductivity and mismatched thermal expansions. The step change that MIONLA proposes is the use of Invar in foam-form for tooling applications, thus providing a solution to these issues. The manufacture of the foam is based on an innovative method developed within UK academia and already has IP protection.
The (Airbus) Protocol Programme - ALCAS 09
The ALCAS project aligns with the UK Aerospace Technology Strategy and key aspects of high value manufacturing. The consortium brings together the key UK players with a proven track record in the field of wing construction technologies able to define, develop and demonstrate crucial areas of key wing box and root attachment techniques essential to meet market entry requirements.
The project covers two distinct technology areas with the first researching measurement techniques for key component. The project investigates innovative ways that that they may be measured, compared, re-machined and assembled by economic processes. The second are researches into a variety of differing yet associated areas of composite materials, processing and components.
The main areas covered are the curing processes for optimised tooling, improved NDT techniques to improve measurement capability through various structural thicknesses, the design and manufacturing of test panels to investigate co-cured sacrificial plies, inspection of micro sections, and machining trials. This will also require the fabrication of an additional demonstrator wing section, focusing on the control interfaces and progressing the science associated with resin transfer infusion techniques.
WITNESSS "WIreless Technologies for Novel Enhancement of Systems and Structures Serviceability"
WiTNESSS (WIreless Technologies for Novel Enhancement of Systems and Structures Serviceability) is a collaborative project which will research and de-risk wireless data transmission technology for key testing and structural health monitoring applications in aero engines, helicopters and fixed-wing aircraft.
A consortium of key players from the UK aerospace industry, led by TRW Conekt, is to develop wireless data gathering and transmission technology for aircraft applications – with an investment of £1.6m from the Technology Strategy Board.
Added Value by Laser Assisted Additive Manufacture
The AVLAM project, which started in June 2008, undertook ground-breaking research into the use of Additive Layer Manufacturing (ALM) in conjunction with advanced CAD/CAM techniques to enable cost effective and environmentally sustainable high value manufacturing. The flexibility of the ALM process and its ability to produce complex net-shape parts with little or no material waste was seen as an attractive enabling technology for a future low-carbon economy, with the UK leading the world in this field.
In AVLAM, commercially available Titanium Alloy powder and Titanium matrix composites were used to produce net shape components, minimising waste from the manufacturing process whilst also reducing the weight of structural parts through material tailoring and topology optimisation. This represented a step change in manufacturing technology, and potentially defining ALM as key enabler for many innovative engineering products in the future.
The consortium included Partners from different areas of the development and supply chain. These included EADS Innovation Works, Bombardier Aerospace, The Welding Insititute (TWI), Materialise, TISICS and the University of Exeter.
This partnership included two of the largest European aerospace manufacturers, as well as a number of ALM technology experts, Metal Matrix Composite experts and Universities. Between them the consortium has access to a wide range of ALM equipment, such as MTT SLM systems, Concept Laser M2, EOS M270, Arcam A2, Accufusion Laser Consolidation, Trumpf DMD505, and a bespoke system where a 7kW laser beam is manipulated using a high accuracy robot.
NGCW : High Volume Manufacture (HiVol)
NGCW will ensure that mature technologies are available to enable the design, development, validation, manufacture, equipping and testing of lightweight aerodynamically efficient and economic to produce wings which are optimised with the overall aircraft ensuring minimum environmental impact. HIVOL will investigate and develop low cost manufacturing technologies that will enable high volume wing manufacture for next generation aircraft.
NGCW : Multi Discipline Optimised Wing (MDOW)
To ensure that mature technologies are available to enable the design, development, validation, manufacture, equipping and testing of lightweight aerodynamically efficient and economic to produce wings which are optimised with the overall aircraft ensuring minimum environmental impact. MDOW provides mature technologies to build a synthetic environment that will allow fast iteration of the complete wing design process.