Just-in-Time Manufacturing

By CRP Technology

Not only innovation and technology but also service and quality: these are the values of CRP Technology, the ideal partner for high-performing sectors, such as motorsport, aerospace and naval, where reliability and efficiency are the leitmotiv of the business.

Among the most interesting and significant applications in the aerospace sector, developed thanks to the collaboration of CRP partners, is with no doubt the wind tunnel model of the European TILTROTOR, realized by the Rapid Prototyping Department of CRP Technology during the first months of the 2007. The wind tunnel model has been designed by CRP Technology’s Italian customer Sistemi Dinamici Spa for Agusta Westland. This project allowed, once again, to highlight the perfect union between RP technology and Windform materials.

The project related to the manufacturing of the external fairings of a wind tunnel model (1:8 scale) for the prototype of the European TILTROTOR, made by Rapid Prototyping and Windform GF material.

The most critical aspects of the project are the resistance to the loads, but also the necessity to maintain good dimensional tolerances of such a large dimensioned component (L = 2 m) under load. It is important that the components of the fairings don’t deflect too much under load. In addition, even when there are no external loads, the product must have dimensional characteristics in respect of the supplied specifications.

It is important to remember that the performance of these pieces affects the final performance of the entire project, especially because the external fairings have to transfer the aerodynamic loads generated by the fuselage to the internal frame.

The activity of CRP Technology’s Rapid Prototyping Department has been based from the beginning on the maximization and achievement of the requested goals.

The work started from a careful analysis of the 3D designs received from the client. The choice of the Windform GF material was not casual, and the goals required short realization time, good mechanical performances, and also good dimensional characteristics.

In fact, Windform GF is a composite polyamide based material, aluminium and glass filled, appreciable for many applications such as wind tunnel, because of its high heat deflection (HDT), superior stiffness, first-rate detail reproduction (almost comparable to SLA), gleaming metallic look and the excellent surface finish. Thanks to the wide-ranging experience of the department in this market and thanks to the detailed knowledge of the materials and the technology, it was possible to assist the customer in the choice of the best technology and best materials.

The final results were estimated extremely satisfactory by Sistemi Dinamici SpA and by Agusta Westland, from several points of view:

- from a structural point of view, because we obtained high durability/resistance and low deformation;
- from an aerodynamic point of view, the perfect external finishing allowed a perfect surface painting;
- from a functional point of view, because the components are easy to handle, lighter and easy to be assembled.

CRP Technology strongly believes in a business politics oriented to research and development because excellent results can be obtained only with suitable manufacturing strategies in order to be successful in all fields where customer-oriented service, reliability, safety, flexibility, efficiency, and high performance are the main assets making the company a step forward worldwide.

More Info:
CRP Technology
Via Cesare Della Chiesa 21
41100 Modena,Italy