Precision Board Urethane Tooling Board
Published

Continuous Composites demonstrates CF3D technology for Lockheed Martin, AFRL WiSDM project

Continuous Composites carbon fiber wing spar structural performance achieves 160% design limit load with no damage detected, offers potential for aerospace-grade composite printing.

Share

Final WiSDM project wing assembly.

Photo Credit: Continuous Composites

Continuous Composites (Coeur d'Alene, Idaho, U.S.) announced on April 7 the successful completion of the U.S. Air Force Research Laboratory’s (AFRL) two-year Wing Structure Design for Manufacturing (WiSDM) contract through Lockheed Martin (Bethesda, M.D., U.S.) to manufacture a Low-Cost Attritable Aircraft (LCAA) wing. The project focused on a new structural design paradigm, when coupled with commensurate materials and manufacturing, to substantially reduce costs and lead times for attritable airframe structures. Continuous Composites says its patented Continuous Fiber 3D Printing (CF3D) technology successfully printed the structural carbon fiber spars of the wing assembly. Structural performance was demonstrated when the completed wing box was statically tested and achieved 160% design limit load (DLL) before the compression skin buckled. The spars did not fail.

“The successful work with Continuous Composites and AFRL’s focus on CF3D for this project not only advances new 3D printing technology but also offers the potential for aerospace-grade composite printing in high-performance industries,” says John Scarcello, senior manager, Lockheed Martin Skunk Works. “We recognize this process is paving the way for broader applications within both defense and commercial applications, and Lockheed Martin plans to be part of that future of advanced manufacturing.”

The program included a range of technologies focusing on innovative materials and manufacturing processes, including CF3D to print the spars, long fiber injection molding for ribs, additively manufactured (AM) tooling, automated fiber placement (AFP) for skins, autodrill and robotic assembly. More specifically, Continuous Composites printed two 8-foot-long, 4-pound, carbon fiber tapered C-channel spars. According to Continuous Composites, this novel approach to composites manufacturing features in-situ impregnation, consolidation and curing, resulting in significant cost and lead time reduction. The fully automated process features cutting and refeeding, enabling ply drops and variable part thickness within the structure.

The final wing assembly was delivered to the U.S. Air Force to undergo static load testing. The fully assembled wing was loaded to 160% of DLL. No measured or visual damage to the CF3D-printed spars was detected. The printed carbon fiber spars achieved a 60% fiber volume fraction with approximately 1% to 2% voids.

According to Ray Fisher, Air Force Research Laboratory program manager, “CF3D presents an innovative manufacturing technology that shows great promise to be both low cost and agile to the production rate and responsiveness requirements to realize attritable airframe structures. The success of this LCAA project shows great opportunity for additive manufacturing with customized CF3D material solutions that can orient structural fibers optimally. It is especially attractive to avoid expensive tooling in manufacturing aerospace structural parts. I look forward to additional opportunities to incorporate CF3D in increasingly complex structures that are further optimized for attritable enabling production.”

“This project is one application where CF3D showcases the significant cost reduction and design freedom while exceeding the stringent mechanical properties required for aerospace,” says Tyler Alvarado, CEO, Continuous Composites. “Our team is very appreciative to Lockheed Martin, the U.S. Air Force and other partners for including CF3D in this LCAA project. We are taking the next steps to select our long-term DoD prime partner while engaging the Air Force as evidenced by the upcoming announcements of our key involvement with the AFRL PiCARD program in parallel to a five-year CRADA.”

ViRTEK IRIS 3D
Wickert Hydraulic Presses
Composites One
Janicki employees laying up a carbon fiber part
Compression Molding
Park Aerospace Corp.
Precision Board Urethane Tooling Board
NewStar Adhesives - Nautical Adhesives
CW Tech Days Sustainability - Register Today!
KraussMaffei Metering Systems
CompositesWorld
CompositesWorld

Related Content

Natural Fibers

Sulapac introduces Sulapac Flow 1.7 to replace PLA, ABS and PP in FDM, FGF

Available as filament and granules for extrusion, new wood composite matches properties yet is compostable, eliminates microplastics and reduces carbon footprint.

Read More
Thermoplastics

Plant tour: Qarbon Aerospace, Milledgeville, Ga. and Red Oak, Texas

Veteran aerostructures Tier 1 transforms into 21st century leader in thermoplastic composites and multiple new markets.

Read More
Aerospace

Will the Airbus-CFM H2 flight demonstrator use metal or composite tanks?

The Airbus A380 testbed will fly in 2026 with four 100-kilogram liquid hydrogen tanks — metal and composites are being developed via Airbus ZEROe Development Centres — with multiple other programs to develop composite H2 tanks for civil aviation that were begun in 2021.

Read More
Infusion

Novel dry tape for liquid molded composites

MTorres seeks to enable next-gen aircraft and open new markets for composites with low-cost, high-permeability tapes and versatile, high-speed production lines.

Read More

Read Next

Epoxies

Commercializing UV-curable thermosets for continuous fiber 3D printing

Strategic partners Continuous Composites and Arkema/Sartomer are developing a library of photocurable resins for use in a variety of OOA, high-speed, high-performance composite applications.

Read More
Additive Manufacturing

Impossible Objects, Ricoh 3D partner to produce high-strength 3D-printed composite parts

New material options for industrial customers across Europe to remove barriers to printing parts for drones, aircraft, automobiles, athletic gear and more.

Read More
Trends

CW’s 2024 Top Shops survey offers new approach to benchmarking

Respondents that complete the survey by April 30, 2024, have the chance to be recognized as an honoree.

Read More
Precision Board Urethane Tooling Board