How Composites Have Revolutionized Airframe Design and Construction

Industry Information|

If you are old enough to remember the golden age of aviation, you probably remember how heavily aircraft manufacturers relied on steel and aluminum. A lot has changed since then. With the introduction of composites, aircraft design has been pushed to ever greater heights. This is easily observed by taking a look at airframe design and construction.

It is no secret that aerospace composites are a key component in modern airframe design. We can do things with today’s airframe components that just were not possible 75-100 years ago. Aerospace composites are perfect for weight reduction, improved structural integrity, greater fuel efficiency, and more.

Attractive Properties for Aerospace

Understanding how composites have revolutionized airframe design begins with a working knowledge of certain properties. Needless to say, aerospace composites offer a number of properties that are attractive to engineers:

• Reduced Weight – Composites offer substantial weight savings compared to more traditional materials like steel and aluminum. Less weight translates directly into improved fuel efficiency. It also contributes to an increased payload capacity.
• Strength and Durability – Despite weighing less, aerospace composites are stronger and more durable than their older counterparts. The strength-to-weight ratio designers get with composites is perfectly suited to building airframe structures that can withstand considerable punishment.
• Design Flexibility – Because composite materials can be fabricated into complex shapes, engineers can tailor their designs to increase efficiency without sacrificing durability. Even performance can be improved with the right design.

The proverbial icing on the cake is the fact that composite materials are corrosion resistant. The harsh atmospheric conditions that wear heavily on metals have little to no impact on composites. Therefore, composite airframe structures tend to last longer and need less maintenance.

Building Airframe Structures With Composites

So, what types of airframe structures are typically built using composite materials? The first thing that comes to mind are fuselage sections. Fuselage panels made with carbon fiber-reinforced plastics can reduce weight by as much as 25% without any loss of integrity.

Composites are also used to design and build:

• Wings – Composite wings are strong, lightweight, and aerodynamic. They can double as fuel tanks as well.
• Tail Structures – The tail structures on a typical plane include both vertical and horizontal stabilizers. Building them with composite materials reduces weight, improves aerodynamics, and minimizes maintenance requirements.
• Floor Panels – Just as composites are a great option for fuselage panels, they are also ideal for aircraft floors. Fiberglass is a good composite choice for this application.

Material selection matters a lot when designing a new aircraft. Engineers not only choose between options like carbon fiber and fiberglass, but they also need to think about matrix materials. Composite matrices need to meet the specific requirements of each airframe structure.

Manufacturing Processes Can Vary

As for manufacturing processes, aerospace manufactures determine that on a case-by-case basis. Traditionally, aerospace composite manufacturing has relied on manual layups, a process by which workers manually build an airframe component by manually layering composite fabrics and epoxy resins in a mold.

Manual layups are still utilized in some cases. But modern manufacturing also employs automated fiber placement, resin transfer molding, and other advanced techniques that offer more precision and better consistency.

The bottom line is that today’s aerospace composites play a vital role in designing and constructing airframe components. Composites have made it possible for us to build the biggest passenger aircraft ever conceived. Many of the same composites are put to work for space travel, satellite construction, and improved defense capabilities.

Here at Aerodine, aerospace composites are a big thing. Understanding their potential in designing and building airframe structures makes it easy to see why.