Abstract:
The present disclosure refers to the configuration and manufacturing process of a rib for the construction of an aircraft torsion box. In the method, a flat stack of plies of composite material is layered up, which is then cut to form a flat pre-form having an outer contour having flanges, and an internal contour having two or more diagonal trusses with flanges at opposite sides. The flat pre-form is press-formed to fold the flanges of the outer and internal contour to form a rib pre-form, which is finally cured. The present disclosure also refers to a composite rib having a unitary body by forming a single pre-form of stacked plies. The present disclosure allows the manufacture of the rib in one-shot process, integrating all the ribs components such that the assembly time and cost of the rib are minimized.
Abstract:
This disclosure relates to the manufacturing of a leading edge section with hybrid laminar flow control for an aircraft. A manufacturing method involves: providing an outer hood, a plurality of elongated modules, first and second C-shaped profiles having comprising cavities, and an inner mandrel; assembling an injection moulding tool by placing each profile on each end of the inner mandrel, arranging a first extreme of each elongated module in one cavity of the first profile and a second extreme of the module in another cavity of the second profile, both cavities positioned in the same radial direction; and placing the hood on first and second profiles to close the tool. Further, the injection moulding tool is closed and filled with an injection compound comprising thermoplastic and short-fiber. Finally, the compound is hardened and demoulded.
Abstract:
A method for manufacturing a leading edge profile section of an aircraft lifting surface is provided. The method comprises the following steps: a) providing a set of laminated preforms of a composite material configured with a suitable shape for constituting the leading edge profile section; b) arranging said laminated preforms in a curing tooling and subjecting the assembly to an autoclave cycle to co-cure said laminated preforms; c) demoulding the curing tooling in a spanwise direction towards the aircraft symmetry plane. The invention also comprises a leading edge profile section manufactured by said method comprising in addition to the skin of the leading edge profile section, one or more of the following structural elements: an auxiliary spar, a longitudinal stiffener reinforcing an auxiliary spar, a longitudinal stringer reinforcing the skin of the leading edge profile.
Abstract:
A composite structure (1) for an aircraft, having at least one insert (2) for receiving attachment devices, each insert (2) includes a core (3) having a major dimension and containing at least one through-hole (4), and a composite strip arrangement formed by a first section (5) surrounding the core (3) and attached to said core (3) by an adhesive polymeric layer, and a second section (6) including at least one free end (6a). The first (5) and the second portion (6) of the composite strip arrangement are disposed over a first surface (1a) of the composite structure (1), such that the major dimension of the core (3) is positioned transversal to said first surface (1 a). The at least one insert (2) is co-cured with the composite structure (1).
Abstract:
An aircraft horizontal tail plane (HTP) of the continuous type, wherein the inner-most ribs of the right-hand side and left-hand side torsion boxes are arranged to have one end joined right at the joint zone where both rear spars meet at axis of symmetry of the HTP. In this way, the loads at this central region of the HTP are concentrated at the joint zone where the inner-most ribs and the rear spars converge. The HTP can be manufactured with a reduced number of components.
Abstract:
The invention provides an aircraft lifting surface with a monolithic main supporting structure (14) of a composite material comprising an upper skin (21) including at least a part of the upper aerodynamic profile of the leading edge (11) and/or of the trailing edge (15), a lower skin, a front spar (18), a rear spar (20), a plurality of leading edge ribs and/or a plurality of trailing edge ribs. This main supporting structure allows a weight and cost reduction of aircraft lifting surfaces. The invention also provides a manufacturing method of said monolithic main supporting structure (14).