JEC COMPOSITES MAGAZINE - Issue #62 - January/February 2011 - 42

RTM
More information ...
Founded in 1920, SABCA is one of the main aerospace companies in Belgium. The company designs, develops and produces major structural assemblies, both metallic and composite, for civil, business and military aircraft as well as European space launchers. The SABCA Group comprises the mother company SABCA with locations in Brussels and Charleroi, and a fully owned subsidiary, SABCA Limburg that specialize in composite manufacturing. Established in 1992, SABCA Limburg specializes in the manufacture of high-tech composite aircraft assemblies based on prepreg technology. The company owns two large automatic tape layers with beds up to 12 m, three autoclaves up to 5.5 m in diameter and 15 m long, a large high-speed 5-axis router, and automatic C- and A-scans.

SQRTM technology. Laminate placement in the curing mould, demoulding, mould and mandrel cleaning are potential new challenges when robotizing the SQRTM process. The next objective of using robots is to reduce recurring costs by about 40%, based on constant material prices.

Demonstrator for the main landing gear bay of a single-aisle aircraft
Figure 5 shows the SQRTM demonstrator, which combines the main structural concepts of the rear bulkhead and pressure floor of a main landing gear bay. It is composed of two beams with local reinforcements and variable sections (up to 9-mm thick), a rib and
Fig. 5: Single-aisle aircraft main landing gear bay demonstrator

42

a stiffened panel with 7 hollow omega stringers. All the parts are made out of prepreg UD tape (HS carbon/epoxy). The process steps are the same as those presented in Figure 2, without using robots. After the flat lay-up of laminates with the automatic tape layer and hot forming with dedicated equipment (single or double diaphragm), the wet laminates are transferred into the closed mould. The curing mould is placed in the heating press. After curing, the part is demoulded and inspected (Figure 6). The demonstrator was designed taking into consideration the environmental conditions and the manufacturing sequence. Right from the beginning of the development phase, the concept has to consider the use of prepreg combined with hot forming and closedmould technologies. This implies a geometric definition enabling forming of laminates and an adequate and efficient assembly sequence of curing-mould mandrels. A comparison with a similar structure whose parts are cured separately in an autoclave and fastened after individual inspection could give a weight reduction of around 10%. The reasons are: no foam for the stringers, no local reinforcements for bearing capabilities and use of UD tape instead of fabric.

jec composites magazine / No62 January - February 2011
Fig. 6: SQRTM demonstrator manufacturing cycle

Conclusion
The automated sequential process based on SQRTM technology presented here reduces assembly steps and the associated costs and results in lighter, better-performing parts. The key benefits are the automated manufacturing of integrated structures allowing the production of parts with higher mechanical properties due to prepreg UD products, tighter tolerances and surface finish according to the moulding process. Future investigations will focus on greater automation in combination with fibre placement. n
More information: www.sabca.be References

[1] K. Mason, High-Performance Composites, Autoclave quality outside the autoclave, March 2006. [2] H. P. J. de Vries, Development of generic composite box structures with prepreg preforms and RTM, NLR-TP-2002-019, National Aerospace Laboratory NLR, Amsterdam, January 2002. [3] B. Morey, Manufacturing Engineering, Processes reduce costs, Vol. 138 No 4, April 2007. [4] H. G. S. J. Thuis, Development of a composite cargo door for an aircraft, NLRTP- 99434, National Aerospace Laboratory NLR, Amsterdam, October 1999.


http://www.sabca.be

JEC COMPOSITES MAGAZINE - Issue #62 - January/February 2011

Table of Contents for the Digital Edition of JEC COMPOSITES MAGAZINE - Issue #62 - January/February 2011

Cover
Edito
Points of view : solutions for every aircrafts
Contents
Agenda of Events
COMPANY & BUSINESS
In Brief
Carbon prepreg - Guangwei Composites, from a finished product to a semi-finished product
Incubation - Composites Technology Park: nurturing green composites
MRO - Mincham Aviation, a specialist with the ambition to match
APPLICATIONS
Automative - From Imagination to reality
Offshore - New carbon fibre compositecomponent for deep-sea use
Leisure - Tenchnology ready for gaming
MARKET
Trends - The natural gas vehicle market
Human capital - R&D manager : inside innovation
Market - An historical overview of the Para-aramid fibres for composites
FEATURE AUTOMATION
Filament winding - Automated filament-winding process for pole production
Robot - Multiple-use robots for composites part manufacturing
WPC - Compact, flexible extruder for new-comers to wood-plastic composites
Robotic - Robotic unit for the automated production of composite components
Injection - Thermoforming and injection moulding in a single mould
Testing - Robotics and non-destructive testing
RESEARCH & DEVELOPMENT
RTM - Highly integrated structure manufactured in on-shot with pre-preg UD tape
CNT - Multiscale hybrid carbon reinforcement for polymeric-matrix composites
Nano-composites - New thermoresistant nano-filled glue for composites
TECHNOLOGY & INNOVATIONS
Reinforcement - Fibre composites, those magical materials
Telecom - New polyster prepreg for composites radomeand antenna applications
Automotive - A new ultra-lightweight sandwich structure for the cars of tomorrow
Innovations
JEC COMPOSITES MAGAZINE - Issue #62 - January/February 2011 - Cover
JEC COMPOSITES MAGAZINE - Issue #62 - January/February 2011 - 2
JEC COMPOSITES MAGAZINE - Issue #62 - January/February 2011 - Edito
JEC COMPOSITES MAGAZINE - Issue #62 - January/February 2011 - Points of view : solutions for every aircrafts
JEC COMPOSITES MAGAZINE - Issue #62 - January/February 2011 - 5
JEC COMPOSITES MAGAZINE - Issue #62 - January/February 2011 - Contents
JEC COMPOSITES MAGAZINE - Issue #62 - January/February 2011 - 7
JEC COMPOSITES MAGAZINE - Issue #62 - January/February 2011 - Agenda of Events
JEC COMPOSITES MAGAZINE - Issue #62 - January/February 2011 - In Brief
JEC COMPOSITES MAGAZINE - Issue #62 - January/February 2011 - Carbon prepreg - Guangwei Composites, from a finished product to a semi-finished product
JEC COMPOSITES MAGAZINE - Issue #62 - January/February 2011 - 11
JEC COMPOSITES MAGAZINE - Issue #62 - January/February 2011 - 12
JEC COMPOSITES MAGAZINE - Issue #62 - January/February 2011 - Incubation - Composites Technology Park: nurturing green composites
JEC COMPOSITES MAGAZINE - Issue #62 - January/February 2011 - MRO - Mincham Aviation, a specialist with the ambition to match
JEC COMPOSITES MAGAZINE - Issue #62 - January/February 2011 - Automative - From Imagination to reality
JEC COMPOSITES MAGAZINE - Issue #62 - January/February 2011 - 16
JEC COMPOSITES MAGAZINE - Issue #62 - January/February 2011 - Offshore - New carbon fibre compositecomponent for deep-sea use
JEC COMPOSITES MAGAZINE - Issue #62 - January/February 2011 - Leisure - Tenchnology ready for gaming
JEC COMPOSITES MAGAZINE - Issue #62 - January/February 2011 - Trends - The natural gas vehicle market
JEC COMPOSITES MAGAZINE - Issue #62 - January/February 2011 - 20
JEC COMPOSITES MAGAZINE - Issue #62 - January/February 2011 - 21
JEC COMPOSITES MAGAZINE - Issue #62 - January/February 2011 - 22
JEC COMPOSITES MAGAZINE - Issue #62 - January/February 2011 - Human capital - R&D manager : inside innovation
JEC COMPOSITES MAGAZINE - Issue #62 - January/February 2011 - Market - An historical overview of the Para-aramid fibres for composites
JEC COMPOSITES MAGAZINE - Issue #62 - January/February 2011 - 25
JEC COMPOSITES MAGAZINE - Issue #62 - January/February 2011 - Pub
JEC COMPOSITES MAGAZINE - Issue #62 - January/February 2011 - Filament winding - Automated filament-winding process for pole production
JEC COMPOSITES MAGAZINE - Issue #62 - January/February 2011 - 27
JEC COMPOSITES MAGAZINE - Issue #62 - January/February 2011 - Robot - Multiple-use robots for composites part manufacturing
JEC COMPOSITES MAGAZINE - Issue #62 - January/February 2011 - 29
JEC COMPOSITES MAGAZINE - Issue #62 - January/February 2011 - 30
JEC COMPOSITES MAGAZINE - Issue #62 - January/February 2011 - 31
JEC COMPOSITES MAGAZINE - Issue #62 - January/February 2011 - WPC - Compact, flexible extruder for new-comers to wood-plastic composites
JEC COMPOSITES MAGAZINE - Issue #62 - January/February 2011 - Robotic - Robotic unit for the automated production of composite components
JEC COMPOSITES MAGAZINE - Issue #62 - January/February 2011 - 34
JEC COMPOSITES MAGAZINE - Issue #62 - January/February 2011 - Injection - Thermoforming and injection moulding in a single mould
JEC COMPOSITES MAGAZINE - Issue #62 - January/February 2011 - Testing - Robotics and non-destructive testing
JEC COMPOSITES MAGAZINE - Issue #62 - January/February 2011 - 37
JEC COMPOSITES MAGAZINE - Issue #62 - January/February 2011 - 38
JEC COMPOSITES MAGAZINE - Issue #62 - January/February 2011 - 39
JEC COMPOSITES MAGAZINE - Issue #62 - January/February 2011 - RTM - Highly integrated structure manufactured in on-shot with pre-preg UD tape
JEC COMPOSITES MAGAZINE - Issue #62 - January/February 2011 - 41
JEC COMPOSITES MAGAZINE - Issue #62 - January/February 2011 - 42
JEC COMPOSITES MAGAZINE - Issue #62 - January/February 2011 - CNT - Multiscale hybrid carbon reinforcement for polymeric-matrix composites
JEC COMPOSITES MAGAZINE - Issue #62 - January/February 2011 - 44
JEC COMPOSITES MAGAZINE - Issue #62 - January/February 2011 - 45
JEC COMPOSITES MAGAZINE - Issue #62 - January/February 2011 - Nano-composites - New thermoresistant nano-filled glue for composites
JEC COMPOSITES MAGAZINE - Issue #62 - January/February 2011 - 47
JEC COMPOSITES MAGAZINE - Issue #62 - January/February 2011 - Reinforcement - Fibre composites, those magical materials
JEC COMPOSITES MAGAZINE - Issue #62 - January/February 2011 - 49
JEC COMPOSITES MAGAZINE - Issue #62 - January/February 2011 - Telecom - New polyster prepreg for composites radomeand antenna applications
JEC COMPOSITES MAGAZINE - Issue #62 - January/February 2011 - 51
JEC COMPOSITES MAGAZINE - Issue #62 - January/February 2011 - 52
JEC COMPOSITES MAGAZINE - Issue #62 - January/February 2011 - 53
JEC COMPOSITES MAGAZINE - Issue #62 - January/February 2011 - Automotive - A new ultra-lightweight sandwich structure for the cars of tomorrow
JEC COMPOSITES MAGAZINE - Issue #62 - January/February 2011 - 55
JEC COMPOSITES MAGAZINE - Issue #62 - January/February 2011 - Innovations
JEC COMPOSITES MAGAZINE - Issue #62 - January/February 2011 - 57
JEC COMPOSITES MAGAZINE - Issue #62 - January/February 2011 - 58
JEC COMPOSITES MAGAZINE - Issue #62 - January/February 2011 - 59
JEC COMPOSITES MAGAZINE - Issue #62 - January/February 2011 - 60
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