Rolls-Royce Controls and Data Services Limited Public Funding

Coming Soon Bymetric is Launching Soon

Future civil aerospace technology advancement and improvement is going to be increasingly based on the use of real-time aircraft and engine data to predict performance, adapt control and manage maintenance. E2EEHM (End-to-End Equipment Health Management) is a four year project that will develop and link together future Equipment Health Management (EHM) technologies to create future value for products and services. Capability will be created in the areas of advanced sensing, communications, data mining and analytics. As they are developed, these technologies will be joined together in end-to-end demonstrations to illustrate their use in aerospace operations to reduce: 1) Operational disruption 2); Maintenance cost and 3) Design conservatism. Specific applications of particular importance for this project are: revolutionising LRU (Line Replaceable Unit) monitoring, which is currently unavailable, and support to the embodiment of more Electrical Machines in aerospace.

SECT-AIR’s aims are to develop strategies for the UK high integrity software industry to significantly lower development costs and to scope a UK aerospace software centre-of excellence to maintain these strategies in the future. SECT-AIR plans to define processes and technologies that will make a step change reduction to software development costs; gain adoption of these through certification authorities and wider industry engagement and to ensure a better flow of technology between academia and industry in these areas in the future.

A novel, sequential, net-shape process will be developed to enable complex, light-weight components to be created with minimum waste capable of supporting a wide range of production volumes. Metal powders are encapsulated in a complex-geometry reusable rubber tool and isostatically pressed. The resulting compacts are fully densified using a novel hot isostatic pressing (HIP) method that enables the densification of multiple green compacts into full density. Key innovations include novel tooling method to produce partially consolidated complex compacts and novel processing route to simultaneously consolidate multiple components to full density.

Quality verification is a vital part of electronics manufacturing, allowing yields, product lifetimes and failure modes to be controlled. The most critical features are the thousands of solder joints on a typical assembly. However, as the sizes of components and solder joints shrink, verification of solder joint quality is becoming increasingly challenging. The major technology turned to by manufacturers, Automated Optical Inspection (AOI) is the subject of widespread dissatisfaction centred on its poor performance, with unacceptably high false call rates, onerous programming, and lack of reference to standards. The A3Di machine works on a fundamentally different principle of 3D shape measurement, allowing circumvention of the technical problems with AOI. This project will develop the A3Di machine into an effective, high throughput and accurate production tool by formulating algorithms to classify solder joint quality, validated using the first ever database of acceptable solder joint 3D shapes. Such a tool has potential to gain large market share and dramatically improve electronics assembly process control, leading to significant reductions in scrap, rework, and returns.

This project aims to ensure UK capability on Lean Burn FSN to ensure the emissions performance for aerospace gas turbine engine can be competitive for future engines, that meets emission targets (e.g. ACARE goals) & emerging legislation and aligns to the vision proposed for the Advanced Systems in the Lifting Off – Implementing the Strategic Vision for UK Aerospace. Specifically, novel lean burn fuel spray design and manufacturing capability will be established in the UK.

The HEEDS consortium consists of several leading UK Aerospace component suppliers who deliver complex, high integrity, embedded electronic systems on aviation platforms. The consortium has been loosely formed over 4 years through organisations such as the Electronics National Technical Committee (NTC), linked to the Aerospace KTN to address the increasing requirement for electronic systems to function, survive and meet the life requirements of the systems that they control. The consortia consists of a number of end user companies that deliver the final products together with component and packaging capable organisations and also the link to the High Value Manufacturing Technology Centre (MTC) where the prototype capability will be develop manufacturing processes and techniques so that final product exploitation can be achieved. This projects strongly aligns to the ATI Lifting Off Strategy and will give the UK a key global advantage for its existing and future industry.

The Consortium of Aero Engine Controls (AEC) and the University of Sheffield intend to research a variable flux small, light weight efficient dedicated generator for use with the increasing harsh aero engine environment. The generator will capable of powering such devices as the Electronic Engine Controller (EEC) and be an enabling technology for additional actuator loads, particularly those of transient nature,such as inlet guide vanes, tip clearance, thrust reversers, VSVR, shaft coupling and ignition systems. The primary activities will be to select the preffered machine and voltage regulator topologies, develop novel control strategies for the regulator, experimentally demonstrate the functionality and performance of the prototype generator to TRL4, develop the manufacturing systems and processes required for production of the dedicated generator and demostrate the functionality and performance of the production representative demonstrator in a representative environment to TRL6 .

The Consortium of Aero Engine Controls (AEC), GE Aviation & TT Electronics intend to enhance the research & development of High Temperature Electronics for inclusion in Engine Control Electronics to provide operation for Engine Core Mounted Applications (external customer Rolls-Royce plc). This is to meet the increasing requirement for continuous operating temperatures to over 300°C and accommodate transient temperatures up to 400°C. The primary activities will be to develop packaging materials and interconnection which are currently at a very basic technology level (TRL2 at most). A target application of a pressure sensor will provide the focus in terms of complexity, function and one potential end use. The consortium has a great mix to assess the packaging, build into representative circuits based on today’s applications, test the functionality at high temperature and predict expected life. Exploitation is widely expected for most Airborne LRUs beyond engine control units, oil & gas industry, the energy industry (AEC now supports this area for Rolls-Royce), automotive (links which exist for TT Electronics) and Space.

Additive Manufacturing (AM) has the potential to revolutionise the design, production and supply of parts, but exploitation has been limited. A major challenge for industry is to understand the true capability of the new techniques - especially making comparisons between machine platforms. The ANVIL project will overcome this issue, by bringing together key end-user sectors and AM experts to develop a standard way of assessing the capability of metal powder bed fusion processes. This approach will be used to compare the latest machines and the information generated will form the basis of an interactive design for AM guide. Application demonstrators will be designed using this guide and manufactured to provide case studies for promoting the effective use of AM technology. An AM-OLR (On-Line Resource) will be established to disseminate the findings and encourage sharing of data across the UK AM sector.

This project aims to significantly enhance the performance, reliability and cost of the aerospace gas turbine engine control system to ensure not only a competitive future engine but one that meets emission targets (e.g. ACARE goals) & emerging legislation. The project intends to develop advanced fuel system technologies aligning to the vision proposed for the Advanced Systems in the Lifting Off – Implementing the Strategic Vision for UK Aerospace. Specifically, novel advanced actuators to accommodate higher duty & fit to an ever shrinking engine envelope, step change improvement in fuel pumping as a result of higher duty, flow rate, thermal efficiency and reliability, development of power electronics and electric machines to supporting electric pumping delivering the benefits of a more electric aircraft and finally to examine future engine health monitoring for increased efficiency and cost saving benefits.

The Consortium of Aero Engine Controls (AEC), Raytheon Systems Limited (RSL), Semelab Limited and Newcastle University intend to develop a SiC Current Limiting Diode (CLD) for inclusion in Engine Control Electronics that will provide lightning protection. All airborne electronics are susceptible to extreme environments including the secondary effects of lightning. Currently Transient Voltage Suppression (TVS) diodes are fitted but have limitations at high temperature and with the increased lightning induced pulses of modern composite built aircraft; this will be resolved by CLD devices. The consortium has the correct mix to asses the academic component development, fabricate a die solution, package the device and build into representative circuits based on today’s applications and to test the functionality. Exploitation is widely expected for most Airborne LRUs beyond engine control units.

Cr6+ chemistry dominates the field of corrosion protection; however, its elimination by 2016 as currently recommended by REACH, requires new alternates to be found. Some alternatives have been proposed, but there is no wide acceptance of them and the acceptance criteria and test regime to support new developments, other than salt fog testing, which is widely seen as inadequate, do not exist. This is of particular concern to the aerospace industry as critical aerospace applications require the use of “paint finishes to protect the base metal from corrosion for up to 40 years to ensure the safety of passengers” (ASD position paper to ECHA, dated 13 September 2011). The development of valid, industry wide test methodologies, application of these to the development of REACH compliant replacements suitable for rapid deployment before 2016 is thus required. A consortium has been brought together to address this issue over 2 years.

The Holistic Optimising Systems Project is a collaborative research and technology project led by Rolls-Royce plc with Rolls-Royce Engine Control Systems Ltd (previously known as Aero Engine Controls Ltd), Raytheon UK and the University of Sheffield. The project aims to develop a range of aerospace gas turbine engine control technologies which operate as a system that optimises its performance with consideration of the overall performance of the engine. These technologies are expected to improve performance in terms of fuel consumption, emissions and in service operation. The project scope includes sub-system design, modelling and demonstration in appropriate test vehicles.

Roll Royce Controls and Data Services Limited will lead a project team with Aeromet International PLC and Birmingham University to design, develop and demonstration test innovative aluminium alloy composites with enhanced high temperature capabilities. The development of these alloys will enable near-net shape design, reduced product manufacturing cost and energy use, and extended service intervals. It will also stimulate novel, high performance, fuel efficient lower mass pump designs and provide future capability for aircraft engine core mounting. The project team has the experience, ability and skills to optimise manufacturing techniques, alloy composition and high temperature mechanical properties for early application in high value product markets (i.e., aerospace) and longer term applications in high volume markets (e.g. automotive). This capability significantly enhances the project’s impact and exploitation potential

This project has explored a number of new, low TRL technologies, to understand the capabilities and opportunities for application in future aerospace components. Automated assembly and inspection, advanced tooling development, improvements to welding capability, and modelling methods to predict manufacturing processes, will deliver improvements to manufacturing time, and significant cost reductions. Rolls-Royce has detailed plans in place to further develop these technologies and implement into its production facilities in the UK.

Rolls Royce Goodrich Engine Control Systems Ltd. (Aero Engine Controls) is leading a project team which includes KC Engineering Ltd (KC) and the Brunel University Centre for Advanced Solidification Technology (BCAST), to develop and demonstration test an innovative high-Sn Al plain bearing alloy that will lead to replacement of hazardous lead-tin bronzes and whitemetals, reduce product manufacturing cost and extend service intervals. The selected project team members have the capability and skills to optimise the alloy composition and tribological properties for early application in high value product markets such as aerospace and oil & gas and longer term application in high volume markets such as automotive. The team will build on successful fundamental research carried out by BCAST using their innovative intensive melt shearing technology (MCAST) to generate well dispersed high-Sn Al microstructures at the laboratory scale. This capability will significantly reduce project risk going forwards. The project will demonstrate the applicability of this material to a range of full scale parts and optimise the process for reliable manufacture. Exploitation is aimed initially at aerospace fuel system and oil & gas industry related components to secure the market position and stimulate growth in market share of the end user partners. “Spill over” economic benefits will be available outside the consortium: (i) bearing manufacturers in other sectors; (ii) AEC and KC’s customers and other end users of bearings and sytems containing bearings; (iii) Al and master alloy raw materials suppliers through greater penetration into the bearings market.

Awaiting Public Summary