Thu, 16 April, 2020
TWI is a project partner in the FLEX project, which is working to manufacture composite aircraft parts using innovative adaptive composite tools.
The project has recently been engaged in producing final demonstrator preforming tools, which would enable the end-user to preform the composite parts. These preformed parts would be laid out in a predetermined shape before being placed into a resin transfer moulding (RTM) tool and injected with aerospace-grade resin to produce the final composite parts.
Tooling manufacturer, Loiretech have been working through the limitations brought on by the COVID-19 pandemic to deliver the required preforming tools to FLEX project topic manager and end-user, SAAB.
These preforming tools were made by assembling and milling wood that had been subjected to a final control step in order to verify the geometries of the pieces.
With the preforming tooling complete, the next stage of the project will be to prepare the carbon RTM tooling.
You can find out more and keep up to date with the FLEX project at the dedicated website or contact us for more information.
Figure 1. Skins preforming tool
Figure 2. Preforming tools delivery