Technology Bricks for Future Thermoplastic Aircraft

[@ljubomirculibrk4097]

That molding tool has a half of ton

[@ChuckaEm]

Nice Video!

[@rangefreewords]

How does it do with aircraft based paints on it's surface? Or will wraps be needed? Are thermoplastics great for deflection in the wings? Or are these mainly for the fuselage in low stress areas? Will doublers and rivets fatigue the thermoplastics and have a lower barrier to NDI failures?

[@dlrinstituteofstructuresan6594]

In principal thermoplastic are paintable, of course with adapted pre-treatments and paint systems, roughly comparable to thermoset composites. The structural behavior of thermoplastics is more or less equal to thermoset composites. Their major advantage is the ability for welding. With a full thermoplastic design you will get rid of fasteners. (Although crack propagation for thermoplastic is less problematic than for thermosets)

[@louisvanrijn3964]

At 3:02 you see a typical aircraft/vessel structure. It could be made of aluminium, cfrp; both thermoset as thermoplast. Even you see these structure type in a ships hull, in steel. The structure shown is hence a multi-material solution. Pose the question to yourself: Did I propose the right structural solution with the production possibities in carbon thermoplastic? Or did I copy-cat a metal structure? In the EXTRA 400, the first certified composite pressure cabin in Europe, we (team of 5 of Delft University) designed a completely new structural system for that pressure cabin. It was definitly not a skin-stringer structure. IABG tested it extensively, and it was certified. DLR, be creative! Louis van Rijn, former ass. professor composite design, Delft University.

[@dlrinstituteofstructuresan6594]

Thank you very much for your comments! The design of the upper shell was one of the specifications given in the project. On the one hand, our focus was on maturing processes that are currently still under development, and on the other hand on demonstrating these processes on a large scale and in a highly automated manner. It`s true that the use of CFR-TP`s offer new possibilities for advanced airframe concepts which should be considered within the design phase.

[@christianpaulroldan4010]

Is it like carbon fiber?

[@dlrinstituteofstructuresan6594]

Hi, thank you for your interest! Yes, actually it is carbon fibre. But the matrix, the material surrounding the fibres, is thermoplastic material, not thermoset as for the most other applications. The thermoplastic properties leads to a number of advantages, like you can weld parts together after manufacturing.

[@Love2FlyKAP]

How do you meet the fire rating with this material?

[@kaboom-zf2bl]

carbon fibre ... pretty fire retardant in the first place ...

[@kaboom-zf2bl]

nice concept ... now take it a step further and make a 1:25 scale version of say the sr 71 and f 22 ... from these laminated parts and fly them with an rc set of engines ... (easy scale conversion take the imperal measuements and change the units to mm and poof its 1:25 scale)

[@JuanCruz-et8so]

This video made me visualize Boeing size aircraft that can be deployed and shed some of its carcasses to plunge into the sea saving time to surprise the enemy with and attack by a newly constructed submarine that can fly and navigate under water.

[@dlrinstituteofstructuresan6594]

Very interesting approach. But I’m not sure whether our lightweight design are too light for use in submarines. 😊

[@sierraecho884]

sau aufwendig

[@danko6582]

I don't trust thermoplastics in the elements.