New light-weight spoiler developed for A340 Family

New light-weight spoiler developed for A340 Family

Keywords: Airbus, Aircraft

As part of its work for continuous technological improvements, airbus has developed a new light-weight spoiler for its A330/A340 programme.

The new spoiler, which underwent its first test installation on an A340-600 type aircraft, has delivered a weight saving of slightly more than 50kg per aircraft over conventional spoilers without incurring higher manufacturing costs.

The project to develop the light- weight spoiler started in 2001 when airbus became involved in a research and development programme conducted by the Austrian Fischer Advanced Composite Components (FACC) company in co-operation with Kaiserslautem University in South-West Germany.

The research was concerned with the development of a spoiler main hinge fitting using a specific version of Resin Thermal Moulding (RTM) technology. With RTM, resin is injected into carbon fibre dry fabric pre-forms. This is unlike conventional methods, which use pre- impregnated fabrics or tapes. This new method was particularly attractive to airbus as it allowed fittings to be integrated in the bonding process of spoiler production thereby eliminating the time-consuming assembly of metal fittings and also the weight of the attachment elements.

During the development phase of the project, the team experienced several technical challenges. First, how the interface loads, to the wing structure and actuation system, could be kept the same or within certain limits. This would allow the new light-weight spoiler and earlier heavier versions to be interchangeable on aircraft. The solution was a question of matching pre-curvature and stiffness. Secondly, how the steel roller bearings could be installed into the Carbon Fibre Reinforced Plastic (CFRP) main hinge lugs. With thermal expansion conditions beyond the level experienced by the team, ensuring safe anti-rotation locking at low temperatures with no friction jams at high temperatures was a real challenge.

However, solutions were found and also new ideas for further improvements,which have now been integrated to deliver the lightest-weight aircraft spoiler available.

Following the success of the project, the team are now looking at the possibility of developing a much larger RTM structure, integrating the main fitting into the front spar and thereby making the spoiler bonding assembly a real one-autoclave-shot structure.

The success of the project was ensured by the spirit of cooperation shared between Airbus, the Vought company in the US and the Austrian FACC. Led by Airbus, all three A330/ A340 spoiler manufacturers participated to ensure the delivery of the most effective new product possible.