JEC COMPOSITES MAGAZINE - Issue #72 - April/May 2012 - 53

Airbus qualification scope
- AITM 2-0002-A/B: Resistance of materials when tested according to the 12s or 60s vertical Bunsen burner test. - AITM 2-0003: Resistance of materials when tested according to the 15s horizon tal Bunsen burner test. - AITM 2-0004: Flammability of non-metallic materials - Small burner test, 45° - Deter mination of the resistance of material to flame and glow propagation, and to flame penetration. - EN 2377 (ISO 14130): Glass fibre reinforced plastics - Determination of apparent inter laminar shear strength. - EN 2562: Carbon fibre reinforced plastics Unidirectional laminates - Flexural test

More information

Composite parallel to the fibre direction. - EN 2563: Carbon fibre reinforced plastics Unidirectional laminates - Determination of apparent interlaminar shear strength. - EN 2746: Glass fibre reinforced plastics Flexural test - Three point bend method. - AITM 1-0007-A/B/C/D: Fibre reinforced plastics - Determination of plain, open hole and filled hole tensile strength. - EN 2561: Carbon fibre reinforced plastics Unidirectional laminates - Tensile test parallel to the fibre direction. - ISO 527-5: Determination of tensile proper ties - Part 5: Test conditions for unidirectio nal fibre-reinforced plastic composites. - AITM 3-0004 (EN 6043): Determination of gel time and viscosity.

- EN 2564: Aerospace series - Carbon fibre laminates - Determination of the fibre, resin and void contents. - ISO 1183-1: Plastics - Methods for deter mining the density of non-cellular plastics Part 1: Immersion method, liquid pyknometer method and titration method. - AITM 1-0003: Determination of the glass transition temperatures (DMA). - AITM 3-0002: Analysis of non metallic material (uncured) by differential scanning calorimetry (DSC). - AITM 3-0008 (EN6064): Determination of the extent of cure by differential scanning calorimetry (DSC). - ISO 11358 (ASTM D3850/ASTM E1131): Plastics - Thermogravimetry (TG) of polymers.

significantly has to be an important component of any industrial solution that is applied to reach these objectives – without, of course, losing any performance in terms of safety, speed, flight range, comfort, or life span, among others.

- improving aircraft aerodynamics, - using biofuels and synthetic fuels; - administering an overall weight reduction “treatment”. The brainstorming also touched on operational aspects such as flight path optimization (continuous descent), airspace management, airport/airport congestion management and passenger load optimization.

certain ways the mechanical properties of both are equivalent. They both have an elastic modulus of 70 GPa, for example. As a result, the rate at which composite materials are gradually being introduced in aircraft has been increasing exponentially over the past years. As the graph below shows, Airbus has gone from lower than 10% in 1978-80 (A300 and A310 series) to 25-30% for the airplanes currently in operation (A380, A400M) and 53% for the future A350 XWB. The same trend has been observed with the other leading aircraft manufacturer, Boeing, whose first 787 is already flying with more than 50% composites by weight. But an airplane will never be built exclusively from composite materials. The A350 XWB, making it possible for the company to develop rapidly.
JCM: So that is one of the factors in your success?

Innovating to succeed
The new specifications soon crystallized once manufacturers set out to examine all the ways in which to approach the objectives. Their studies addressed a range of very different and complementary methods, including: - the massive use of composite materials and new lightweight metal alloys; - replacing hydraulic systems by electrical systems; - increasing engine performance;

The appeal of composites
We know intuitively that any metal is much heavier than a composite. Practically speaking, we can establish that titanium has a density of about 5 and aluminium, about 2.7. A standard aerospace-grade carbon-fibre/epoxy composite material with a 60% fibre content by volume has a density of 1.8, which is 33% lower than that of an aluminium alloy, although in of Bordeaux. Back in 2001, we decided to give it the legal status of a company so as to get closer to our customers.
JCM: How would you characterize the entity?

interview
josé alcoRta manageR of Rescoll

JEC Composites Magazine: How did Rescoll get started?

the one of the first French technology transfer departments at the University

José Alcorta: Rescoll grew out of

J. A. : It is innovative even in its legal

J. A. : Without a doubt. But there are
others. For example, the employees are company shareholders, which both motivates and helps to preserve know-how.

structure, because it is both a commercial and a non-profit company. All its profits are reinvested in the business,

No72 April - May 2012 /

jec composites magazine 53

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

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