Page 217 - Technology Roadmap Transportation

TECHNOLOGY ROADMAP: TRANSPORTATION

FIGURE 3.1: AIRFRAME TECHNOLOGY EVOLUTION[11]

1970 1980 1990 2000 2010 2020

Adaptive Structures
Structural Health
Monitoring

Al-Li alloys
Friction Stir Welding Future A /C
Metallic structures B787/A350 XWB

Advanced Alloys Nanotechnology
2xxx & 7xxx series A380 Self Healing

CFRP Structures materials
GFRP Glare®
Laser Beam Welding
fairings A340/B777 Electron Beam Welding

Ti alloys
A320/B737
Intermediate
A310
Modulus Fibre
A300
GFRP: Glass Fibre Reinforced Plastic
CFRP:Carbon Fibre Reinforced Plastic

supercomputers and 15,000 hours of wind composites[12]. This approach offers weight
tunnel testing[12]. savings on average of 20% compared to
more conventional aluminium designs. Also,
b) Wing tip devices are the angled extensions advanced manufacturing techniques like ‘laser-
on the aircraft wingtip which increase the beam welding’ and ‘frictionstir welding’ are
lift generated at the wingtip (by smoothing now utilized which help in reducing structural
the airflow across the upper wing near the weight as compared to the conventional arc
tip) and reduce the lift-induced drag caused welding and riveting techniques. This happens
by wingtip vortices, improving lift-to-drag due to reduction in material required to
ratio. Gross fuel mileage improvement with achieve the required strength of the joint as
winglets was recorded in the range of 4 to 5 well as by reducing the number of fasteners
percent[12]. employed. These advance welding techniques
also result in smoother finishing of the
c) Materials and Manufacturing Techniques airframe and there by improved flows over
have a direct impact on the structural weight, the boundary layer.
strength, and fatigue performance of the
airframe. Advance lighter composite materials d) Flight controls: Fly-by-wire (FBW)
are being used in place of conventional technology has come of an age with
aluminium based materials. Boeing 787 advanced digital systems that combine
uses an airframe comprising nearly half flight management, navigation, guidance,
carbon fibre reinforced plastic and other control, sub-system health monitoring, and

AIRWAYS 215