R&D PROGRAM FORINNOVATIVE CIVIL AIRCRAFT STRUCTURES

摘要

The pressure to save energy is intense as ever due to limited energy supply and globalenvironmental problems such as CO2 gas. On the other hand, economic growth and a high quality oflife demands high-speed transportation. However, energy saving is not so well advanced in progressin the transportation field. Weight reduction for vehicles is a direct solution. This program wasimplemented in 1999 to reduce vehicle weight, setting aircraft structure as the subject. The R&Dprogram “key technology for innovative low-cost and light structures”, consists of the first 3 year“technology establishment phase” and the latter 2 year “technology verification phase”. The wing andnose structures have numerous part count in an aircraft ; thus, the target is determined as 50% and80% part-count-reduction for the wing and nose structures respectively. Developed technologies areVacuum Assisted Resin Transfer Molding (VaRTM), co-cured CFRP structures, new-type sandwichpanel consisting of plastic core and CFRP for composite structure, and thin, large-size precisioncasting for D357 Al alloy, friction stir welding for 2024 and 7075 Al alloy and super-plastic formingfor 5083 Al alloy. The intended target is 15% and 10% weight-reduction for the wing and nosestructures respectively. Full-scale test articles are in progress and static, fatigue, pressurization tests,and bird strike test will be performed as final activities. The program has been reviewed, evaluatedand simulated certification process is now being performed through DER (Designated EngineeringRepresentative)’s review. This paper is an interim report at the end of March 2003.