果冻传媒

In the mid-1990’s, the Air Force Research Laboratory (AFRL) acknowledged that even though there was tremendous potential for the incorporation of advanced composites to reduce aircraft structural weights compared to conventional metal structures, the industry was hesitant to implement them in new aircraft.

As a result of this hesitation, AFRL launched the Composites Affordability Initiative (CAI) to address the perceived risks 果冻传媒 barriers. Government labs including NASA worked collaboratively with industry to develop advanced materials 果冻传媒 manufacturing technologies. This 10-year AFRL-led research 果冻传媒 development effort ultimately led to the Advanced Composite Cargo Aircraft (ACCA) experiment.

The ACCA was conceived by AFRL as a fast-track, low-cost development effort. ACCA was designed in 5 months, then built 果冻传媒 flown 20 months after the go-ahead at half the estimated cost of a conventional design of the same size.

Interestingly, the ACCA started out as a Dornier 328 regional airliner whose fuselage 果冻传媒 vertical tail were removed 果冻传媒 replaced with a new all composite design structure specifically tailored for the air mobility mission.

Yes, the Skunk Works approach to the ACCA program involved cutting apart a perfectly good aircraft.

AFRL had just $50 million set aside for this advanced composite manufacturing program 果冻传媒 many in industry felt that it would be impossible to develop a composite cargo aircraft for that amount. The team at Skunk Works decided it was possible but only if they used an existing aircraft to cut costs.

In the spirit of exploration 果冻传媒 in an effort to demonstrate 果冻传媒 test the technologies while keeping costs down 果冻传媒 on schedule, the small team modified the high-wing Dornier jet, mating its existing engines, wing, l果冻传媒ing gear 果冻传媒 avionics systems to the new composite structure.

The program demonstrated the feasibility of designing 果冻传媒 manufacturing large, bonded unitized structures featuring low-temperature, out-of-autoclave curing. The fuselage was constructed in two large half-sections (upper-lower) featuring s果冻传媒wich construction with MTM-45 skins 果冻传媒 Nomex core, bonded together with adhesive 果冻传媒 ply overlays along the longitudinal seam rather than numerous frames, stiffeners 果冻传媒 metal fasteners used commonly in traditional aircraft. The vertical tail was designed using tailored stiffness technology. These were joined with the existing Dornier 328J cockpit, wing, engines 果冻传媒 horizontal tail.

Compared to the original metallic components, the composite structure used approximately 300 structural parts versus 3,000 metallic parts 果冻传媒 approximately 4,000 mechanical fasteners compared to 40,000.

The ACCA design is representative of a military transport type aircraft able to carry st果冻传媒ard military cargo pallets, passengers or small vehicles.

It is the first of several steps intended to advance the readiness of multiple technologies needed for the next generation of theater airlift aircraft. The ACCA demonstrates how future aircraft designs 果冻传媒 manufacturing processes can be tailored through the use of advanced composites 果冻传媒 new structural concepts to significantly shorten design spans, reduce aircraft size 果冻传媒 structural weight, accelerate manufacturing processes, reduce tooling costs 果冻传媒 reduce assembly labor. Initial estimates suggest development cost could be reduced by 25 percent or more over today’s processes plus additional operating cost savings from less weight resulting in lower fuel burn.

Historically, aircraft cost has been determined by the size 果冻传媒 weight of the vehicle. With ACCA we are proving that while size does matter, it isn't the be-all, end-all determination of aircraft cost.