Abstract

The target of the 20 months ATI funded MASCoTS R&D project is to develop an end-to-end digital thread for the design, analysis and manufacturing of curved fibre composites for aerospace applications. The project started in September 2020 and it is a collaboration between iCOMAT, MSC Software, DaptaBlade and TWI. DaptaBlade’s expertise in the project is focussed on the design of composite components using multi-physics and coupled disciplinary simulations for the purpose of aeroelastic tailoring of flexible wing structures. By designing wings with flexibility in mind right from the start, the wing shape can be tailored for different flight conditions. The weight and drag can be reduced and the external loads can be controlled, resulting in structural efficiency gains and overall improved aircraft performance [1]. The use of steered fibre composites increases the design space available for aeroelastic tailoring [2]. One novel material technology which promises improvements is Rapid Tow Shearing (RTS) which has been developed by iCOMAT in Bristol. RTS promises to rival the speed of Automatic Tape Laying (ATL) but without the material wrinkling and gaps that occur when steering tapes. It also can lay material around tight radii, which makes the RTS technology particularly interesting for smaller or reduced scale components. This paper will provide an update on the project outcomes so far, focussing on the development of a toolbox for the design, analysis and optimisation of RTS composite parts; and it's application to the design of a reduced-scale wingbox demonstrator. The aeroelastic design workflow, which requires the coupling of the structures and aero loads models, will be described. Typical design objectives and constraints, including manufacturing constraints will be discussed. It will be shown that the multidisciplinary analysis workflow can be automated using a formal design optimisation approach, which allows for faster design iterations and improved product performance. [1] - M. H. Shirk, T. J. Hertz and T. A. Weisshaar, “Aeroelastic tailoring - Theory, practice, and promise”, J. Aircraft, 1986 [23/1], pp. 6-18, doi:10.2514/3.45260 [2] - O. Stodieck, J.E. Cooper, P. Weaver, P. Kealy, “Aeroelastic Tailoring of a Representative Wing-Box Using Tow-Steered Composites”, AIAA Journal, 2017 [55], pp. 1425-1439, doi:10.2514/1.J055364