Materials for airframes, the A380 and beyond
July 20-21, 2004Technology Briefing on Materials at Farnborough 04 Airshow
Alain GarciaExecutive Vice PresidentAirbus Engineering
Jürgen KlennerSenior Vice PresidentAirbus Engineering
Presented by
July 20-21, 2004
Materials for airframes, the A380 and beyond
Technology Briefing on Materials at Farnborough 04 Airshow
3 Materials for airframes, the A380 and beyond
Superior airframe: Airbus vision
AIRBUS ENVIRONMENT
CUSTOMER
Environmentally friendly airframe
Highest performance
Maintenance free airframe
4 Materials for airframes, the A380 and beyond
The Airbus airframe philosophy
Airbus sustained leadership in advanced aircraft structures by:
Being always at the forefront of technology.
Applying the most advanced structure technologies as a prime goal since the beginning of Airbus.
Considering customer needs, performance, environment/health & safety aspects.
Pushing new technologies, carefully evaluated and introduced step-by-step as soon as they are matured.
Fostering the competition between different materials to exploit their physical potentials and enhance their performance.
5 Materials for airframes, the A380 and beyond
Materials for airframes
Metals (Al-alloys)
Composites (CFRP)
Fiber Metal Laminates
Broad experience Repairability Static behavior Improvement potential
Strengths
Fatigue behavior Low density No corrosion Best suited for smart
structures
Improved fatigue Better “tailoring” Higher fire “resistance” Less corrosion
(compared to Al-alloys)
High density Fatigue behavior Corrosion behavior High costs of new alloys
Weaknesses
Impact behavior No “plasticity” Repairability Recycling
Lower stiffness Higher density Less industrialized
process
(compared to CFRP)
6 Materials for airframes, the A380 and beyond
What the airframe requires
Bending
Bending and
Torsion
Impact
Shear stress due to trans-
verse shear and torsion
Compression due to bending,
stability, static strength,
corrosion resistanceHigh local
loads
Hoop
stress
Impact
Impact
Impact
Shear
stress
Hoop stress and longi-
tudinal stress
Longitudinal stress
Static/residual strength
Crack growth
Upper skin:
Compression/stability
Lower skin:
Tension/crack growth
7 Materials for airframes, the A380 and beyond
Composites vs. metal: The benefit of competition
1970 1980 1990 2000 20202010
CFRP design
Fairings
Pressure bulkhead
Keel beam
Floor panels
Al-Li
LBW,
extrusions
Metal design
GLARE®, LBW,
EBW, Ti alloys
CFRP
FuselageFuselage section
Center wing boxAdaptive
Structures,SHM
FSW, Al-Sc
advanced
Al castingSuccessor
GLARE®Moveables,
Rudder
VTP, HTP Flaps,
CFRP Wing
effect
effetc
effect
effect
Al-Li
8 Materials for airframes, the A380 and beyond
How Airbus airframes have evolved
1974 (EIS) 2009
GFRP fairings, radome, fin leading edges
CFRP movables: spoilers, airbrakes, rudder
CFRP primary structure: fin (A310-300)
A300/A310
…
CFRP primary structure: flaps, horizontal tailplane (HTP)
Automated Tape laying
Laser Beam Welding (LBW) (A318)
A320
…
CFRP primary structure: HTP as fuel tank
CFRP primary structure: pressure bulkhead, keel beam, floor panels (A340-600)
Resin infusion techniques
Thermoplastic CFRP (A340-600)
New Al-alloys
A330/A340
…
CFRP primary structure: Center Wing Box, Rear fuselage, wing ribs
Higher modulus carbon fibers
Upper fuselage: fiber metal laminate
LBW, Electron Beam Welding
Resin film infusion
Automated fiber placement
New Al-, Ti-alloys
A380
…
CFRP wing
further airframe innovations …
A400M
9 Materials for airframes, the A380 and beyond
0
5
10
15
20
25
30
35
1970 1975 1980 1985 1990 1995 2000 2005 2010
Airbus: The leader in CFRP technologyC
FR
P s
tru
ctu
ral w
eig
ht
%
A300
A310/200
A320A340-300
A340-600
A380
A400M
Year
10 Materials for airframes, the A380 and beyond
Advanced metal technologies
Laser Beam Welding (LBW)
New Al-alloys: e.g. Al-Li
New Ti-alloys
Electron Beam Welding
Friction Stir Welding
Extrusions, Castings, … Example: section 18, lower panel
Stringer to skin LBW
Airbus: The leader in metal technology
Stringer guiding system
Beam guidance
11 Materials for airframes, the A380 and beyond
Fiber metal laminates (FML)
GLARE® application in A380 upper fuselage and D-noses (HTP, VTP)
High performance FML (e.g. improved static strength, improved stiffness)
GLARE® Micrograph
Composite material (GFRP)
Aluminum material
500 µm
Example: section 18, main deck panel
Airbus: The leader in fiber metal laminates (FML)
12 Materials for airframes, the A380 and beyond
A380: The most advanced airframe (examples)
CFRP Floor Beamsfor Upper Deck
CFRP Wing Ribs
CFRP Section 19.1
CFRP Section 19
GLARE®
CFRP Center Wing BoxIntegral Structures (LBW)
More Ti & New Ti-processing(electron beam welding)
13 Materials for airframes, the A380 and beyond
New horizon: The “intelligent” aircraft structure
Further approaching the Superior Airframe Vision, Airbus is aiming at the “intelligent” structure:
Best suited to local airframe needs, i.e. optimised hybrid design
Self-monitoring and reacting
Adaptable to changing requirements
Highest tolerance towards external effects
to enable:
Leading edge of performance
Minimum maintenance, extended operational life
Highest possible environmental friendliness
14 Materials for airframes, the A380 and beyond
Structure Health Monitoring – Aspect of Airbus “intelligent” airframe
SHM system: The SHM System checks the structure and evaluates the follow up actions for maintenance.
Human nervous system: The brain detects intensity and location of pain and judges when to go to the doctor.
Evaluation
SHM 1st Generation: Maintenance cost reduction, increased aircraft availability
SHM 2nd and 3rd Generation: New design philosophy enabling weight reduction
15 Materials for airframes, the A380 and beyond
“Intelligent” aircraft structure: more than SHM
Self-Cleaning
Self-MonitoringAdaptive Structure
Self-Healing
Nano-Materials
Nanotechnology Sensors
Material Matched New Design
Synergy between fuselageand cabin interior
16 Materials for airframes, the A380 and beyond
Air
bu
s a
irfr
ame
vis
ion
Composites primary & secondary structure
New material processes
New metals and adapted design
2st, 3rd Generation SHM
Nanotechnology: materials & sensors
Composites adapted design
Adaptive structures
Fiber Metal Laminates
1st Generation Structural Health Monitoring
Optimized material matched design
Future Airbus airframe technology
1970 1990 20302010
New Composite material applications
Advanced composite & metallic materials
High performance “Intelligent” airframe
17 Materials for airframes, the A380 and beyond
Conclusion
Best materials and related technologies have been used/will be used in future in Airbus airframe for the specific application: THE BEST MATERIAL FOR THE SPECIFIC APPLICATION not ONE MATERIAL FOR ALL.
The philosophy of best material use leads to a hybrid airframe adapted to the local specific requirements (mixture of different materials).
The high performance “intelligent” Airbus airframe is: - optimized regarding new materials matched design - self-monitoring and reacting - adaptable to changing requirements
The high performance “intelligent” Airbus airframe technology is introduced step-by-step after demonstrating maturity, securing the leading role of Airbus in airframe technology
