JEC COMPOSITES MAGAZINE - Issue #71 - March 2012 - 46

awards

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JEC Innovation Awards Program 2012:
lnnovation awards winners

New non-destructive testing system for the inspection of composite parts used in the aeronautic industry
The technology uses lasers to generate and detect ultrasonic waves in composite materials. The new system uses articulated robots to position an inspection head around the parts to be inspected. The articulated robots provide unmatched flexibility for the inspection of large and small composite parts of complex shapes. The key benefits of the innovation are that the ultrasonic waves can be generated and detected at angles up to 45° from the sample surface within a range of 2 m ±0.25 m. This innovation has the potential to lower inspection costs by up to a factor of 10 for very complex shapes. It also significantly reduces the total capital investment and labour costs, limits the number of skilled people required and improves delivery schedules, resulting in shorter inspection cycle times and improved production rates. The construction of the first system started in early 2009. The first signals were obtained in early 2010. The system was delivered to Airbus in April 2011 and accepted in June 2011. The fraction of composites and their complexity have massively increased in the aircraft of the most recent major programs such as the Lockheed Martin F-35, the Boeing 787, and the Airbus A400M and A350 XWB. As these programs ramp up production, the need for additional non-destructive testing

Aeronautics
Winner: EADS (France) Partnership Network: Airbus (Spain); Airbus (F); Tecnatom SA (Spain); iPhoton Solutions (USA)

machines will surge. Each major composite production site for these programs has the potential to acquire one or more of the new systems.

A carbon fibre composite system which weighs 50 kg for a city car, at lower cost, high strength and great tailorability.
The material innovation consists in using a braid over a foam preform, thus effectively creating a 3D woven structure from multiple preforms that are machinelaid and infusionmoulded into beams. These beams have an internal structure that can resist buckling and deformation. A low-density, closed-cell polyethylene foam forms the core of the preform, which is placed into a closed tool with multiple cells and formed by VARTM. The foam core expands during the process and takes the shape of the tool. The special feature of Axontex™ lies in the shear webs internal to the beam, which give the beam its high strength and stiffness while retaining a low weight and allowing high levels of shape and curvature within the components. Load introduction for safety belts, engine mounts, seats and crash structures completes this BiB system. The new resin system increases toughness while retaining the conventional stiffness and strength of epoxy, at lower cost and greater tailorability This technology has the potential of producing the complete vehicle structure for £600 (competitive with existing steel bodies). Axon is currently quoting for 4 whole car body structure programmes and a two-wheeler application.

Automotive
Winner: Axon (UK) Partnership Network: Toray ( Japan); Eurocarbon (NL); Scott Bader (UK); Eccles Tooling (UK)

These are all new fuel vehicles where carbon fi bre makes sense for weight and range as well as production volumes.

46 jec composites magazine / No71 March 2012

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JEC COMPOSITES MAGAZINE - Issue #71 - March 2012

Table of Contents for the Digital Edition of JEC COMPOSITES MAGAZINE - Issue #71 - March 2012