ADVANCING AEROSPACE COMPOSITES THROUGH INDUCTION WELDING AND NEW VITRIMERIC FORMULATIONS ENHANCED BY INTEGRATED PHOTONIC SENSORS, PROVIDING DATA TO DIGITAL SUPPLY CHAIN, SHM, MAINTENANCE

The composites aerostructures market is projected to grow to 116 billion by 2030, attributed to the increasing demand for advanced materials in aircraft manufacturing, which exhibit lightweight properties and can withstand harsh environments, ultimately improving the aircraft performance and cost savings.

PLEIADES project aims to address these needs, making significant steps towards meeting the industrys requirements through its proposed solution.PLEIADES is bringing together different disciplines and key technologies that will contibute in advancing further composite aerostructures and promote the digital transformation in aviation.

PLEIADES multiple disciplines extend across a wide variety such as formulations and characterisation of new composite materials, automation of induction welding processes for composites leveraging integrated sensing, disassembly of composites joints, healing and maintenance schedules.

These will be complemented by the development of passive PIC based multi sensors, the development of a unified QA-SHM methodology, the extensive modelling for induction welding and the development of material, healing, damage propagation, and de-icing models.

All of these disciplines will be pursued within PLEIADES and with tangible use cases by the aerospace, in synergy with Clean Aviation partnership to ensure its innovations are aligned with it.The technological advancements of PLEIADES will address the needs for high-volume sustainable manufacturing with integration inspection and recycling and circularity in the aerospace industry.

It is expected that by making full use of the new technologies, that promote sustainability and circularity, cost savings of at least 30%-40% can be achieved. Within the project, a maintenance and repair protocol will be developed, as well as an innovative SHM methodology.

Finally, The Digital Twin developed will contribute to the advancing of the digital research infrastructure, in accordance with Clean Aviation.