New VAP Developed by EADS Military Aircraft-Augsburg
A new Vacuum Assisted Process (VAP) to make carbon-fiber–reinforced plastic structures without the use of an autoclave has been developed by EADS Military Aircraft-Augsburg, already the largest external supplier to Airbus of aerostructures for the A380 airliner.
The VAP process, developed in-house and patented by EADS-Augsburg, is more cost-effective than autoclaves and allows rapid production of particularly large components. It is already being used for a conceptual, hybrid material flap track for the A380, in which the side walls and lower strap are made in one part with a considerable reduction in manufacturing and assembly times, cost and weight. EADS-Augsburg has delivered 15 shipsets of more traditional flap tracks to date, and the first redesigned for the heavier-weight A380 freighter will be shipped between May and November 2006.
VAP has enabled EADS-Augsburg to expand into pressurized structures made of carbon-fiber–reinforced plastic. It will begin production late this summer of the CFRP rear fuselage cargo door for the A400M, where even the transverse frames and torsion box are made of CFRP. The door is particularly challenging not only because of its size, but because it must withstand the different stresses of pressurization and opening in flight to enable airdrops.
EADS-Augsburg has also demonstrated the VAP process to make a bulkhead for a narrowbody airliner.
The process will figure next in EADS Military Aircraft’s bid to win work on the Airbus A250, and discussions are under way on that program, the company said. —John Morris
