Fraunhofer Institute for High-Speed Dynamics, Ernst-Mach-Institut, EMIHigh-performance aviation: sustainable and reliable
Fraunhofer EMI is working to maximize the safety of aircraft and their components - and at the same time to develop solutions for sustainable and high-performance aviation.
Business unit Aviation
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Business unit Aviation
Service portfolio
Detailed Service portfolio
The business unit Aviation deals with the characterization, modeling, testing and optimization of aviation-related materials, structures and components, especially in the field of lightweight design. We analyze the effects on aircraft structures caused by hail, bird strike and debris impact as well as lightning strikes.
Characterization of materials as well as testing of structures, components, joints
- Mechanical characterization of modern materials (metals, composites etc.) and joints
- Testing methods for analyzing the mechanical behavior of fiber-reinforced synthetic materials being exposed to velocities ranging from quasistatic up to high-dynamic loads (> 1 kilometer per second)
- Standardized, nondestructive (pre-, post- and in-situ-NDT) and destructive testing methods
- Methods for micro- and nanostructure analysis of materials
- Material testing at high strain rates as well as high-dynamic material tests
- Development and advancement of testing methods
Modeling and optimization of lightweight structures
- Numerical simulation and material modeling
- Microstructure simulation
- Creation of material cards for commercial FE software
- Extension of existing material models via user-subroutines
- Development and implementation of new material models
- Development of in-house simulation software (e.g., SOPHIA) for material modeling
- Validation experiments and simulation at component level
- Simulation of real loads on seating foams through different test configurations covering compressive, tensile and shear stress
- Numerical optimization of 3D-design layout for additive manufacturing
- Production of prototypes of metal components through additive manufacturing
- Process simulation
Analysis and optimization of aircraft structures under impact of hail, debris or bird strike
- Analysis of physical and mechanical processes under low- and high-velocity impact (tooldrop, debris, hail, bird strike
- Impact tests with drop-weight facilities (CAI)
- Impact tests with powder guns and light-gas accelerators
- Impact simulation with commercial and in-house FE software
Acceleration tests
- Sled tests for airplane seats (16 g forward, 14 g down)
- Cabin structures
Lightning strike
- Experimental and numerical analysis of CFRP structures under lightning strike
- Development of lightning-strike protection
How dangerous are cell phones and laptops in airplanes?
Fraunhofer and Airbus are investigating the
risks of lithium batteries in airplanes. To this
end, various laptops, tablets and smartphones
were heated in a controlled manner at
Fraunhofer EMI’s battery test center in order
to collect data for investigating the spread of
smoke. This data is used to simulate the spread
of fire and smoke in realistic aircraft environments.
Profile
Material research in aviation has to meet high requirements: On the one hand, the materials used in airplane structures must have a high strength in order to withstand the stresses they are exposed to through high speed of flight and extreme temperature and pressure differences. On the other hand, the materials and structures should be as lightweight as possible. Any weight reduction in the airplane structure saves fuel and makes aviation more environmentally sustainable and economic.
Innovative materials thus not only significantly contribute to the performance, safety and economic viability, but also to the environmental sustainability of aviation industry.
The EMI business unit Aviation contributes to this objective with the characterization of materials, the testing of structures, components and composites, and the modeling and optimization of lightweight structures. Fiber composites and metals, but also hybrid materials and glass are the most important of the analyzed materials. Methods for micro- and nanostructure analysis are increasingly applied in addition to standardized nondestructive and destructive testing methods. Specifically, the use of acoustic microscopy and micro-computed tomography makes research of the characteristics of relevant materials possible, even for the smallest length scales. This is necessary because many decisive processes in the materials which significantly influence the macroscopic behavior (e.g., during impact) take place in the micro- and nanometer range.
For the characterization and testing of materials, structures and components, EMI features the Crash Center of the Fraunhofer-Gesellschaft as well as hightech testing laboratories and a number of numerical methods. Here, acceleration tests, as they are mandatory, e.g., for airplane seats can be carried through. Furthermore, for the optimization of lightweight structures, EMI can additively manufacture metallic components.