Braided Composites for Aircraft Fuselage Frames

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Today's aircrafts are built using strong and lightweight composite materials. Current manufacturing techniques are mostly limited to labor intensive layer-by-layer deposition of polymer pre-impregnated plies followed by polymer cure in an expensive autoclave cure. Aerospace industry is looking to reduce the costs for fabricating composite structural components. Manufacturing of load-bearing structure in the aerospace industry is a challenge that Polytechnique Montreal, Centre technologique en aérospatiale (CTA) and Center for Textile Technologies (GCTTG) decided to address using novel technologies in partnership with Bombardier Aerostructure and Engineering Services (BAES). This project aims at developing a process to manufacture composite aircraft fuselage frames using tailored automated braiding technologies and structural infusion molding process. This project will define the design envelope for aircraft fuselage frames, model braided textile architectures, develop the braiding technology, develop the out-of-autoclave infusion technology, produce braided C-frame demonstrators and evaluate the costs. The project proposal on braided C-frame manufacturing will train highly qualified personnel at both the university and college level. It will also create great knowledge transfer opportunities between academia and industry. The outcomes will be highly beneficial to BAES and Canada by helping to produce cheaper, safer, lighter and greener aircrafts.