Fraunhofer Institute for Casting, Composite and Processing Technology IGCV
Fraunhofer Institute for Casting, Composite and Processing Technology IGCV

LuFo VI-3 NATUR | Sustainable aircraft structures with duromer materials for environmentally friendly aviation

Sustainable lightweight structures with duromer materials for environmentally friendly aviation

Commercial aviation is facing a major technological challenge, as the transition to sustainable, climate-neutral flying is intended to minimize the contribution to global warming. New propulsion technologies such as fuel cells and hybrid-electric drives often require new aircraft architectures and lead to an increase in weight. Improved lightweight construction and environmentally friendly propulsion systems are essential to ensure maximum energy efficiency and sustainability during flight operations. In addition, significant sustainability potential can be leveraged in the development and production phase through the use of more sustainable materials, recycling and more energy-efficient processes.

NATUR addresses lightweight construction methods and technologies for CFRP fuselage structures that contribute to reducing the global warming potential (GWP) along the entire process chain through the consistent use of material residues, recycled carbon fibers (rCF) and out-of-autoclave (OoA) prepregs, as well as associated energy-reduced production processes and systems. The focus is therefore on optimizing component design and production planning for a sustainable material cycle, as well as energy- and emission-optimized production control. The weight reduction also makes a significant contribution to reducing the environmental impact during the aircraft's service life.

The following developments are addressed in the NATUR project:

 

•Innovative fuselage architecture with the use of new duromer-based CFRP materials (e.g. rCF, CFRP material residues, OoA/snap-cure prepreg systems)

• Development of resource-efficient laying/hardening devices for large shell structures (reduction of tool masses by up to 30%, integrated heating systems, sensor technology)

• Development of energy-optimized, waste-free and high-rate production and assembly technologies, taking into account the highest lightweight construction requirements

• Low-rivet joining of stringers and window frames through innovative production and integration technologies (welding through functionalization of duromer CFRP structures, co- and semi-curing, etc.)

• Determination of relevant material and energy-specific key figures and integration of these into production planning to close material cycles and optimize energy use based on renewable energy sources

• Quantification of the main drivers in production in terms of environmental impact (focus: resource consumption and global warming potential) and determination of savings through the development work addressed in NATUR

Scientific and technical objectives of the NATUR project

The Fraunhofer IGCV is researching the following three topics in the NATUR project:

 

  • Recycling of composites and development of rCF semi-finished products
  • Material-efficient laying technologies - automated fiber/patch placement and energy-efficient forming technologies
  • Holistic production planning and life cycle assessment

 

Recycling of composites and development of rCF semi-finished products

The scientific and technical objectives of the NATUR project include the further development of recycling solutions and the processing of recycled carbon fibers (rCF) into high-quality semi-finished products. The targeted hybridization of continuous fiber-reinforced composites (FRP) with rCF semi-finished products is intended to optimize lightweight construction potential and increase added value.

The aim is to further develop the pyrolytic fiber-matrix separation method with regard to fiber quality. The recovered carbon fibers are to be processed at the Fraunhofer IGCV into high-quality wet-laid nonwovens with high anisotropy, which have tailor-made properties for further processing using thermoset process technologies and ensure a high level of homogeneity for the requirements of the aviation industry.

 

Material-efficient laying technologies - automated fiber/patch placement and energy-efficient forming technologies

As part of the project, the Fraunhofer IGCV is investigating ways to utilize coil remnants from the production of large primary structures for smaller components using fiber/patch placement technologies. This includes investigating the processability of slit-tape coil remnants, producing coupons of various patch architectures, benchmarking their mechanical performance and deriving design guidelines.

In addition, the continuous further development of robot-assisted fiber placement technology for the high-rate production of 2D preforms with resource-saving prepreg materials, their transformation into the final component geometry for omega stringers and the adaptation of AFP technology to new component design concepts are being driven forward.

 

Holistic production planning and life cycle assessment

The Fraunhofer IGCV is working closely with the project partners to determine relevant material and energy-specific key figures. A concept for resource-efficient production planning, taking into account material and energy flows and restrictions, including simulative mapping of the production process and evaluation with regard to feasibility and efficiency potential, is being developed as part of the project. Based on this concept, a model for the integration and evaluation of different production scenarios will be developed, the environmental impacts and reduction potentials will be identified, and recommendations for action for sustainable production planning and composite manufacturing process chains will be derived.

 

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  • Aerospace
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