JEC COMPOSITES MAGAZINE - Issue #39 - March/April 2008 - 73

THE WORLD’S LEADING COMPOSITES HUB physical laws employed. It is a bit like a virtual laboratory for anticipating a material’s macroscopic behaviour and studying microstructure and damage (fibre breakage, stress concentration, etc.). The software is interfaced to most structural analysis programs (Abaqus, Ansys, LS-Dyna) and injection moulding programs (Moldflow, Moldex3D, Sigmasoft). The idea is to use computing and analysis to go as far as possible in the design of parts and in the exploration of different variants to avoid wasting more than the time it takes to compute, before launching real-life experiments on prototypes that involve mould fabrication – all which is costly in terms of resources, time and money. scene” (mould, current ply, operator’s hands), overlaid by a computer-generated image of the mould and the composite ply being laid in its correct position in the mould. Nominee: PPE Pôle de Plasturgie de l’Est (France) Technology transfer in the field of polymer composites Partnership Network: LDB (France) Development partner Name of Product or Process: RTM Process 2, a software program that targets small- and medium-sized industrial firms and suppliers looking for help in developing a manufacturing process using RTM (light, heavy), infusion, and compression moulding. Description: The software includes a number of modules for preliminary mechanical dimensioning (analysis of monolithic and sandwich structures, sheets, beams), simulation (predictive data for injection or infusion moulding specific parts), technical and economic assessment (cost evaluation), choice of the most suitable process, and structural dimensioning of tooling (mould design). It also includes a materials database module (mechanical data, permeability of materials, resins, cores, etc.) and an assemblymethod selection matrix (choice of the most appropriate method as a function of materials and operating environment; recommended assembly parameters). Nominee: Anaglyph Ltd (UK) Designer of software packages for composite materials Partnership Network: NPL National Physical Laboratory (UK) Support for prototype development and construction, validation trials. Name of Product or Process: PlyMatch, a visual aid system for manual ply placement in the production of composite materials intended for small- and medium-sized businesses. Description: The system combines a digital camera, a PC and a placement software program to facilitate the manufacturing process. It is much cheaper than laser projection systems. The system displays on a computer screen a live video image of the “assembly SPECIAL MENTION FOR AN OUT-OF-THE-ORDINARY PROJECT The Brest institute of technology (IUT) sent in an application in the Aerospace category. The decision to give prominence to this project was based on its atypical nature (originating from an educational institution rather than a business company) and various noteworthy aspects. Competitor: The Brest institute of technology (IUT) Partnership Network: Gazechim (France) Supply of materials free of charge in exchange for acquiring the know-how, The University of Nantes (France) Materials characterization and stress/strain measurements on the structures created, HDS Structures (France) Wing analysis and modelling, Composites Distribution (France) Carbon fabric supplier, Axson (France) Supply of resin in exchange for the know-how developed, Structil (France) Supply of carbon in exchange for the know-how developed (LRI fuselage), Rex Composites (France) Aircraft manufacturer, production of aircraft composite structures. Contributed to the development of the first infusion-moulded sandwich tooling and transferred the technology to the company, Oseo (France) Provides expertise and financing for research projects by small industrial firms (Rex Composites) Project: The first light aircraft made in France by infusion moulding, and the first one-piece, self-stiffened carbon/epoxy fuselage for a light aircraft. Description: The project started off in 2000 with research on aircraft wings and wing equipment. The manufacturing technology was transferred to the Rex Composites Company. The wing was subjected to twist-bend tests until breaking point in the presence of representatives from the French civil aviation authority DGAC. A carbon composite mould was created for the fuselage. The mould will serve to infusion-mould the lower part of the fuselage in high-performance epoxy resin at low temperature. Other processes were tested to create more complex fuselages (spars, top-hat sections, stringers, stabilizers, fire bulkheads). Advantages or Salient Features: The project was designed as an educational one, to allow students to come into contact with industrial realities. More than 70 students have already worked on the project, helping to transfer knowledge about composites into the industrial environment. Industrial firms have given a token of confidence by participating in the project financing in exchange for the technological know-how. The fact that technology is being transferred to the firms is an indication of the reliability of the work carried out. Innovative process with a focus on functional integration. State of Development: The project continues at a pace dictated by the school year. With all the industrial benefits from its intermediary results, the educational path taken to reach the project’s goal of producing a light aircraft is arguably just as important as the final goal. No39 March-April 2008 / JEC Composites Magazine

JEC COMPOSITES MAGAZINE - Issue #39 - March/April 2008

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