Fiber Metal Laminate Developments for High Volume Applications
After 15 years in service the Fiber Metal Laminate fuselage skin- and HTP/VTP leading edge panels on the A380 had been proven as a “first time right” application. The high damage tolerance properties, provided by well designed FML structures, allowed low weight without scheduled NDT fatigue inspections, as well as user friendly concession- and in-service repair handling. However, the low volume production rate of the A380 aircraft prevented the investment in automated manufacturing technologies, hence the A380 panels had been produced using traditional, manual metal bonding processes. But, the total of 139.000 sqm FML structures, which had been produced for the A380 Aircraft, provided an excellent baseline concerning a meaningful identification of particular manufacturing processes, which should be automated for cost saving, and for the associated material- and design adaptations.
Concerning a high volume FML panel production the focus of this presentation is on the link between material-/design-/stress-related developments on the one hand and the optimized, automated manufacturing processes on the other hand. The developments had been executed in a partnership between Airbus, Fokker, Premium-Aerotec and Stelia, supported by various material supplier and institutes. Particular sub-projects had been outlined earlier, e.g. in Frame of SAMPE Europe 2015 and AeroMat 2016.
Value creation in the engineering ball park includes the strength justification of very thin FML structures, including material variations, aiming for the same, relaxed inspection targets as demonstrated by the A380. Engineering contributed with simplified design to accommodate automated manufacturing. Manufacturing specialists worked on the application of automated processes such as metal pre-treatment, lay-up and Single Shot Bonding. NDI experts assured the quality control of the new development.
The presentation will address the major technical items and the links between them, required to achieve an affordable cost / high performance / high production volume metal bonded fuselage.