Manufacturing Process of High Performance—Low Cost Composite Structures for Light Sport Aircrafts

Abstract

This work describes the technological and scientific efforts on designing, manufacturing and testing validation for high performance-low cost composite structures for Light Sport Aircrafts (LSA). A Mexican initiative to conceive, manufacture and assembly a Light Sport Aircraft has been developed by using Computational Fluid Dynamics (CFD), Finite Element Analysis (FEA) and Liquid Composite Manufacturing (LCM). These consolidated techniques are used to characterize novel approaches to manufacturing and assembly carbon-fiber based structural components. As large structures are manufactured via Vacuum Assisted Resin Infusion (VARI), impregnation strategies are studied to minimize inner flaws and also to improve the manufacturing time and surface quality of each component. The first case of study, to validate this methodology, involves non-structural components such as the cowling. Control surfaces (ailerons, rudder, elevator and flaps) have been manufactured, each of them having common issues but also unique challenges. As an example, a second case of study, the aileron main beam is analyzed. Furthermore, test portfolio will be developed with the goal to perform 1-to-1 scale mechanical tests for validation in compliance with ASTM standards.

Key Enablers for the Evolution of Aerospace Ecosystems

“…It has Bombardier Aerospace and Airbus Helicopters as prime manufacturers; Safran Aircraft Engines, Safran Landing Systems, TechOps and ITP as MRO; Safran Aircraft Engines, Safran Landing Systems, Meggitt Aircraft Braking Systems and Aernnova as tier-1 firms and has more than 15 > tier-1 companies. It also has Horizontec, the only Mexican company that is currently developing, manufacturing and assembling light-sport and experimental aircraft (Torres et al 2019). Centre are examples of firms located in this region (Martinez et al 2015).…”

“…The development of an SME called Horizontec is an example of the efforts of the CENTA to enable the Mexican aerospace ecosystem. Horizontec is a Mexican company, developed in a joint venture with CENTA, capable of designing, manufacturing and testing light-sport aircraft (Torres et al 2019).…”

Application of the Pulse Infrared Thermography Method for Nondestructive Evaluation of Composite Aircraft Adhesive Joints

“…Typically, these aircrafts’ constructions are based on precured composite parts. They are made by a contact hand lamination method, using vacuum-assisted resin transfer methods or by means of prepreg technology using an autoclave [ 3 , 4 ]. These assemblies, for example the fuselage halves, the wing skins, wing spars, etc., are typically connected using adhesive joints.…”

“…The composite design of LSA-category aircraft creates new demands for the detection capabilities of NDE methods. Although in general aviation, the thickness of glued composite parts can be within a range of millimeters to tens of millimeters [ 5 ], in the LSA category, composite parts are often very thin, with thicknesses in the tenths of millimeters [ 3 , 4 ].…”

Special Issue “8th EASN–CEAS Workshop on Manufacturing for Growth and Innovation”

“…The results showed that the optimal route both in terms of environmental and financial efficiency was the production of the canopy by using carbon fiber reinforced thermosetting composites and involving resin transfer molding (RTM) as the manufacturing process. Torres et al [8] described the technological and scientific efforts on designing, manufacturing and testing validation for high-performance low-cost composite structures for Light Sport Aircrafts (LSA). The manufacturing and the assembly of a Light Sport Aircraft were developed by using Computational Fluid Dynamics (CFD), Finite Element Analysis (FEA) and Liquid Composite Manufacturing (LCM).…”