GKN Fokker received the Automatic Fibre Placement (AFP) lay-up tool for the Clean Aviation project HERWINGT. GKN Fokker has developed a Laser AFP in-situ consolidation (ISC) process for a Lower Cover for the Outer Wing Box (OWB).
This Lower Cover will have stringers that will be co-consolidated in a “one-shot” during the ISC lay-up of the skin. The tool has been developed together with Grunewald GmbH & Co. KG, who designed and manufactured this self-heated tool. The stringers are provided by XELIS GmbH (part of AVANCO Composites) and are produced with Continuous Compression Moulding (CCM) technology.
In the coming months, production trials will be executed to prepare for manufacturing the Lower Cover for the full-scale OWB, which will be assembled and tested by Leonardo.