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High Lift Structures

Leading edge made in hybrid design with CF-PEEK und metal

High lift systems in the front of an aircraft wing represent special challenges due to the requirements of the structure. In a relatively small area with strongly curved surfaces, different functions of the system, like anti and de-icing, lightning protection and protection against bird impact are to be considered. The potential of light weight construction lies in the engineering with fiber reinforced composite materials with thermo set and thermoplastic matrices, in the design and the computation as well as the use of suitable manufacturing routes, under consideration of cost-efficiency and economy in an industrial focus. Modern joining procedures  as well as the integration of additional functions into the design of a fiber reinforced composite structure, like lightning protection, vulnerability protection and sensor technology lead to a high degree of integration and ensure a good performance and good get home conditions after impact.

The technologically closed process chain of the Institute within the area of fiber reinforced composites is the basis for the research and development of new design methods for high lift devices. However the unique selling proposition of the research range became from the conversion of the authority to thermoplastic and thermo set materials, the advancement of the processing and joining techniques and the know-how of high velocity impact behavior of CFRP structures in prototypes and in original scales. The innovation in the design method is based essentially on the load-specific local combination of homogeneous and fiber reinforced thermoplastics and the optimization of the FOD- and/or bird strike behavior of the component by the stacking special plies into the material. Numeric tools and methods, which are developed and verified in the Institute, are of crucial importance. New developed, material-specific joining techniques lead to reduction of working procedures. An aim is it to reduce the production costs to a minimum. Most prominent examples of the new design method compiled at the Institute are a vertical stabilizer for a generic combat aircraft and a section of a slat made out of fiber reinforced thermoplastic composite.