Altair > Case Studies > Simulation, 3D Printing, and Casting: A Symbiotic Solution for Large Aerospace Structures

Simulation, 3D Printing, and Casting: A Symbiotic Solution for Large Aerospace Structures

Technology Category

Analytics & Modeling - Digital Twin / Simulation

Applicable Industries

Aerospace
Equipment & Machinery

Applicable Functions

Maintenance
Product Research & Development

Use Cases

Additive Manufacturing
Manufacturing Process Simulation

Services

System Integration
Testing & Certification

About The Customer

SOGECLAIR aerospace, part of the SOGECLAIR S.A. group, is a major engineering partner and prime contractor for the aerospace industry. The company offers consultancy and management services in configuration management, aero structures, systems installation, aircraft interiors, manufacturing engineering, and equipment. Its activities extend from the research and development phase to the supply of products. SOGECLAIR aerospace also offers production services through its subsidiaries and joint ventures: AviaComp, ADM, MSB, and PrintSky. The parts produced include fuel tank access doors using CFRP for the Airbus A350 and Bombardier C-Series, metallic floor structure for the Airbus A380 and business jet cabin interiors.

The Challenge

The aerospace industry is constantly seeking ways to reduce mass and fuel consumption, and additive manufacturing, or 3D printing, offers significant potential in this regard. However, the technology is relatively new in aeronautics and faces certification and qualification issues. Additionally, the size of 3D printing machines limits their use for larger components, such as an airplane door. The challenge was to design an aircraft access door using a combination of additive manufacturing and casting methods. The door, due to its size and complexity, presented a promising opportunity for cost reduction through a one-shot production method. However, the door was too large to be feasible using Direct Metal Laser Sintering (DMLS), it was made of AS7G06 aluminum which is not yet qualified in aeronautics using DMLS, and it had a very thin skin with very tight dimensional and geometrical tolerances.

The Solution

Engineers from Sogeclair aerospace developed a process that combined additive manufacturing and casting to create the airplane door. They used Altair's HyperWorks software suite for design and optimization. The manufacturing process was based on investment casting from a 3D printed resin pattern. The engineers followed a systematic roadmap to ensure all project requirements were met. They used topology optimization in the concept phase of the design process to optimize the material layout within a given design space. Subsequent Finite Element (FE) analysis investigated the optimized design. Filling and solidification simulations were run to predict the position and size of defects such as incomplete filling areas or air bubbles. Feasibility samples were made for representative areas of the aircraft access door, especially the trickier ones. The door was then manufactured at real scale, 3D printed in PMMA resin using binder jetting technology, and cast and heat treated after removal from the mold.

Operational Impact

The combination of simulation, 3D printing, and casting resulted in an optimized access door that met all project requirements. The use of Altair HyperWorks tools allowed the engineers to optimize the door design, particularly in terms of weight savings. The simulation saved a significant amount of time in the development process, allowing engineers to focus on other aspects of the project. While certification and qualification issues still need to be addressed before such a solution can be implemented in future aircraft, the successful completion of this project has put SOGECLAIR aerospace in a position to apply this advanced simulation process to many more potential components to further optimize overall aircraft characteristics.

Quantitative Benefit