materials for airframes, the a380 and beyond july 20-21, 2004 technology briefing on materials at...

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


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.


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)


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


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


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


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


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


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)


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)


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


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


“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


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


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