JEC COMPOSITES MAGAZINE - Issue #72 - April/May 2012 - 50

manufacturing

The left hand and right hand parts are mirror images of each other. This implies that most of the tooling required for production is dedicated to single parts. The main structure of a composite spoiler can be described as a composite sandwich box. Due to the optimized structure, the carbon fibre reinforced plastic (CFRP) skins are made and cured separately. Laminate thickness varies significantly within each part due to the optimized design. There is not a single ply in the structure without proper justification. The material used is T700 carbon fibre with an M21 prepreg resin system. The honeycomb inside the box has been optimized by using various grades of Nomex honeycomb materials.

customer’s final assembly line (FAL) in Toulouse.

Production means and methods
From the beginning, the production of the spoilers was industrialized for targeted maximum delivery rates. To reach that target, a significant enlargement of the production site was required to increase the production space by an additional 6,500m2. The company also invested in a new autoclave (4m diameter x 14m length), a 5-axis NC machine and ultrasonic NDT-squirter equipment, that have been fully operational ever since. The lay-up of CFRP skins is performed on metallic tools by the hand lay-up method. A laser guidance system is used to assist correct location of each ply of carbon prepreg onto the lay-up tool. The shapes and geometry of spoiler details are such that an automated lay-up process was not judged commercially feasible. The production process must be completely adjusted to utilize all production cells in an optimum flow. Lean production practises are applied throughout the production phases to minimize resource consumption and throughput time, and immediately pick out any possible deviations. Solutions to challenges need to be found quickly

Fig. 2: Airbus A380 and Patria composite spoiler

Design & build work package
Patria has worked on this programme since 1997, after the initiation of an internal development project heading to become a design-build supplier for significant civil aerospace programmes. The main focus was placed on designing and building spoiler composite structures for a completely new airliner known as the A3XX at the time. The contract for this design & build work package was inked in 2002. The early series production was conducted during 2004-2007, and then the actual serial rate production started. The work package includes the complete product responsibility as a Tier 1 supplier directly to Airbus France. The design and verification phase showed Patria’s capabilities for highly demanding aerospace composites design. The products were designed and verified against tight requirement specifications. The weight was the main focus during the design and industrialization phase.

Technical description of the composite spoiler
An A380 spoiler shipset contains 16 structurally unique wing spoilers dedicated for one aircraft, 8 in each wing.

The spoiler is connected to the wing with a unique patented twin fitting concept. At the aircraft level, this has simplified systems and saved a significant amount of weight and space. Spoilers are part of the wing exterior surface, therefore they are surface-treated to customer colours via standard aerospace painting and sealing processes. The spoilers are packed for shipment into recyclable transportation boxes and then installed onto the aircraft at the Fig. 3: Patria’s spoiler assembly line

50 jec composites magazine / No72 April - May 2012

JEC COMPOSITES MAGAZINE - Issue #72 - April/May 2012

Table of Contents for the Digital Edition of JEC COMPOSITES MAGAZINE - Issue #72 - April/May 2012