Infrared heating improves composites quality at GKN Aerospace28 May 2012

An infra-red heating system from Heraeus Noblelight is helping to ensure the quality of composite aerospace structures manufactured at the new GKN Aerospace facility at Western Approach, near Bristol.

The system – which is used to provide interim processing of the laid-up composite rear spar assembly of the Airbus 350 XWB to prevent subsequent wrinkling – was custom-designed and developed, following initial tests at Heraeus' application centre in Neston, Wirral.

GKN Aerospace has invested £170 million to create its new composite wing structures manufacturing and assembly facility, which represents an international centre of excellence.

An important project already underway at the Western Approach site is production of the all-composite rear wing spars for the Airbus A350 XWB. Each of the spars is manufactured by laying up pre-preg carbon composite tape on a mandrel and then curing the assembly in an autoclave.

However, such complex lay down operations can produce wrinkling of the surface, because of voids and excess resin between plies or laminates.

GKN Aerospace's engineers decided that de-bulking – enclosing the composite in a vacuum bag at various stages and compacting out air and volatiles under moderate heat and vacuum – could work, so asked Heraeus to carry out trials using infrared emitters.

These were followed by on-site trials using a portable infrared system at Western Approach, which were so successful that a prototype was supplied.

That system was now been replaced by a scaled-up 465kW production plant, where each of the three heating sections now has seven controllable zones to provide precise surface heating.

Brian Tinham

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