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Aerospace

VAP® Center of Excellence for aviation applications

The membrane supported VAP® method is an established production process originally developed in the aerospace sector. The Center of Excellence for VAP® use in aviation applications is a community of specialized companies offering core competencies along the component production chain in the areas of engineering, project planning, aviation-qualified patented VAP® membrane systems and further materials, process introduction, production support, contract manufacturing and component qualification. The Center of Excellence is thus able to provide international customers a raft of end-to-end services and aids for all areas of VAP® implementation and product realization.

VAP® technology for european satellite mission

As of 2021, the MetOp Second Generation A Satellite Mission will be measuring trace gases, ozone and aerosol in the earth’s atmosphere, thus contributing to continuous air quality monitoring in particular. In the context of the European Copernicus Programme, the satellite mission will be expanding our planet’s extensive climate records in this way. Under contract to the European Space Agency, Airbus Defence & Space GmbH develops and produces carbon fibre-reinforced components for the Sentinel 5 instrument involved, using Trans-Textile’s aerospace-qualified patented VAP® membrane system in the process. VAP® technology is thus making a substantial contribution to consistent and high-precision production of the ultralight components.

Floor structure for the Airbus A350XWB to be fabricated in the VAP® process

As part of a partnership with Airbus, Elbe Flugzeugwerke GmbH (EFW) of Saxony has been assigned the task of development, production and delivery of a new floor component. Working in cooperation with Leichtbau-Zentrum Sachsen GmbH, the company devised an innovative floor structure for the new Airbus A350XWB in an ambitious development period of a mere two years. EFW will now be undertaking serial production of the respective components according to the VAP® method, whereby Trans-Textil’s aviation-qualified patented C2003 VAP®-membrane system will be finding use.

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© LZS

The electric-powered glider ELIAS (Electric Aircraft of IABG ACENTISS) based on the Elektra One Solar, a solar-electric aircraft by PC-Aero GmbH of Nesselwang, has a wingspan of 10.60 m yet weighs a mere 211 kg. The ultralight glider is nevertheless a complete small airplane. Use of the VAP® method In the fabrication of the carbon wings by Composyst GmbH delivered a significant saving in weight as well as maximum process reliability.

Article in Composites World, July 2013 (available in German only)

Premium AEROTEC GmbH recently demonstrated its own production expertise and the strengths of VAP® membrane-assisted low pressure infusion at the unveiling of the prototype of a civilian helicopter fuselage section in its NEXICOS project. Using Trans-Textil’s VAP® membrane systems, the aerostructure supplier had fabricated the complex fuselage barrel in a single go, complete with integrated stringers, local reinforcements and window frames. As it reports, the vacuum assisted process VAP® not only enabled automation of various process steps but also delivered significant mould-making flexibility, thus smoothing the way further for scaling up production of the part to the industrial level. The VAP® approach also yielded cost savings of 30 percent over comparable prepreg structures.

The cargo door of the Airbus A400M transport aircraft, measuring 7 m x 4 m and built by Premium AEROTEC GmbH, is the largest integral assembly ever produced using the the vacuum assisted process VAP®. Stringers and skin are injected in one single shot. This geometrically complex structural component is located in a highly stressed area of the fuselage and therefore exposed to high physical loads. For the manufacture of such components, a temperature controlled oven is sufficient for curing the resin.

 

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