Number of projects Total value Max Dev. Phase Transport modes Relevant roadmaps
1 €32,551,672 Research VDM
This technology uses simulation-based design to provide a quicker and cheaper route to the production of composite aircraft structures, such as the fuselage. Composite structures are objects made from multiple materials that often have significantly different properties, which when combined take on the features of all the initial materials. This can lead to much stronger and lighter final structures, requiring less material whilst providing the same performance. It also allows for large, single one-shot parts to be produced that would previously have taken multiple smaller parts. The current process of production uses physical tests on models, these can be extremely time consuming to build and would be considerably more expensive than running a simulation.
3.8.1 Development of technology to date and current status
The more affordable aircraft through extended, integrated and mature numerical sizing (MAAXIMUS) project examined various areas for improvement in the current state of the technology. They looked at single one- shot assembly that produces large single structures that were previously built by linking smaller multiple structures. They also investigated the required adaption of the assembly line to adjust for the lack of ductility and stiffness of composite structures, as well as improving the confidence levels of simulations to create shorter cycle times. They predict that with these improvements development time and cost will reduce by 20% and 10% respectively. This technology should reduce assembly time by half and bring down production
36https://ec.europa.eu/transport/sites/transport/files/3rd-mobility-pack/3rd-mobility-pack-factsheets-automatedconnected.pdf 37https://www.alliedmarketresearch.com/truck-platooning-market
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costs and weight by 10%38. To date the project has improved acoustic models, composite data models and non-destructive investigation data. It has also completed a cost model, based on a generic fuselage. Design of the structural sub-components for the physical tests, used to check the accuracy of the simulation, have almost finished. The manufacturing test coupons have been used to compare experimental and calculated results, with all the non-destructive investigation (NDI) data available.
One of the biggest components of the MAAXIMUS project looked at simulating composite material behaviours during damage initiation, propagation and final failure. The team have carried out comprehensive work on the development of models concerning damage from the micro to the macro scale, making sure to couple effectively between the two and carefully control any errors. The ability to minimise errors is crucial to achieving the confidence required to translate the simulations into real world weight, cost and time savings. A software tool has been developed to transfer the NDI data to the existing simulation tool ABAQUS. The objectives of MAAXIMUS have been widely achieved, utilising the funding of €65 million with €40 million coming from the FP7 Transport programme.
3.8.2 Potential application of technology
The whole aircraft industry could benefit from this technology as it is applicable to composite aircraft structures that are now in widespread use. It can be used on all sizes of aircraft, including civil and military. It is not only beneficial for the aircraft industry, as many other industries could use composite structures, from freight trains to e-scooters. These other industries could adjust the models for structures they need, which would save considerable time compared to creating the models from scratch.
3.8.3 Potential impact of technology
If successful this technology will result in significant reductions in time, as much as 50% in the assembly time of the fuselage. It can also help reduce recurring manufacturing and assembly costs by 10% and reduce the weight of the aircraft by 10%.
It also allows a faster development process, a potential 20% reduction in time from preliminary design up to full-scale test. The development process costs could also fall by 10% due to the higher confidence in the simulations in the numerical optimisation process.
With high confidence levels in simulations right-first-time structure development costs could fall by as much as 5%, this would require new certification that relies on virtual testing. The virtual testing will also help to avoid late and costly changes from unexpected test results.
Being able to test many models makes it possible to create larger single components compared to assembling multiple small components, this results in weight savings that could be as high as 20%. A lighter aircraft will consume less fuel, continuing to save money past the assembly stage.
Not only do all these benefits reduce the cost and time of production, they will lead to reductions in emissions from the industry. Creating models for testing is not only expensive but uses polluting resources that will now be unnecessary. The lighter, more fuel-efficient aircraft will help to reduce CO2 and NOx emissions.
3.8.4 Alignment of technology with EU transport policy
An increase in aircraft fuel efficiency from the lighter weight will help to achieve the 90% reduction in transport emissions by 2050 set out by the European Green Deal, along with the goal of improving air quality near airports.
The ACARE Flightpath 2050 has goals of reducing CO2 emissions by 75% and NOx emissions by 90% by 2050, with lighter aircraft resulting in more fuel efficient aircraft, this technology could contribute to the achievement of these targets.
3.8.5 Market drivers and readiness for technology
Computational fluid dynamic simulations are already widely used in the aircraft industry, so extending the use of computational simulations to include virtual testing of composite structures should be relatively easy. The
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challenge will be to increase confidence in the methods and reduce errors sufficiently to be able to rely solely on simulations to maximise cost reductions and remove the need for physical model testing.
The University of Southampton has recently been awarded a grant of £6.9 million to invest in simulations of composite aircraft structures39.