A major coordinated European research project to improve the structural efficiency of aircraft and reduce manufacturing costs is now under way. The project also focuses on methods of achieving lower acquisition and direct operating costs for operators. TANGO (Technology Application to Near-term Business Goals and Objectives of the Aerospace Industry) involves more than 30 European aerospace companies and organizations in a dozen countries, with Airbus Industrie responsible for coordination. Major airframe manufacturers and suppliers are among those involved in the project, which is supported by the European Union.
TANGO will be looking at new ways of reducing airframe weight and the use of more economical and efficient materials and designs. According to Airbus, the program will define and harmonize the development and application of new technologies, materials, and processes for future aircraft design and manufacture. The targets that the program hopes to meet are 20% weight reduction with respect to current structures, and 20% cost reduction compared to current manufacturing processes and state-of-the-art design.
It is planned to identify, validate, and subsequently integrate new, high-potential materials, design methods, manufacturing techniques and assembly processes into the production of key primary airframe elements. Airbus says that although such technologies have been under development by European manufacturers in recent years and employed on small aircraft structures, they must now be proven "on much larger primary structures if they are to achieve their full potential within the industry." A composite lateral wingbox including a metal-to-composite joint, a composite center wingbox, a composite fuselage section, and an advanced metallic fuselage section are particular airframe elements seen as being potentially promising areas that could bring the desired weight and cost.
Giving details of TANGO, Airbus states that the early stages of the project will comprise structural performance definition and design work, plus a detailed evaluation of each selected technology. A subset of reasonably matured technologies will then be defined for use in the construction of each of the structures. The airframe manufacturers involved and members of their supply chains will then build the necessary subassemblies and components. Various structures will be assembled using advanced techniques and then undergo a major test program. Finally, the data generated will be fed back into the design and engineering process within the industry, thus reducing risk and time-to-market of future products.
Stuart Birch
Interesting? Circle 9
Not interesting? Circle 10
Aerospace Engineering September 2000
