Report

Teaser, summary, work performed and final results

Periodic Reporting for period 1 - HyperDrill (High performance laser micro drilling machine for large Hybrid Laminar Flow Control suction panels)

Teaser

One of the main interests and development lines of the aeronautical sector is the generation of new solutions that allow to create resource-efficient transportation that respects the environment by reducing energy consumption, pollutant agents, noise, etc. In order to fulfil...

Summary

One of the main interests and development lines of the aeronautical sector is the generation of new solutions that allow to create resource-efficient transportation that respects the environment by reducing energy consumption, pollutant agents, noise, etc. In order to fulfil these high demands significant technology breakthroughs in terms of aerodynamics and other disciplines like the design of materials and structures are arisen. A promising approach in this field focuses on a friction drag reduction by Hybrid Laminar Flow Control (HLFC). HLFC allows a drag reduction by extending the laminar flow on an aircraft wing by sucking air through the holes of a perforated skin sheet at the leading edges.

HLFC technology can result in a reduction of up to 10% in the fuel consumption of civil transport aircraft, which represents a significant environmental improvement through the reduction of CO2 emissions and other pollutant agents into the atmosphere. The improvement, in turn, brings with it the possibility of increasing the level of aircraft payload.

However, a main challenge for the provision of this key technology is its manufacturability. The technical design of HLFC structures requires a complex drilling process to manufacture perforated large metal sheets composed by millions of identical tiny holes. Laser beam drilling is one technique to produce those suction sheets.

Main objective of the HYPERDRILL project is to design, manufacture, assembly and testing of a High Throughput laser Micro-drilling (HTMD) prototype machine with process monitoring and quality control for micro-perforating large titanium sheets with a throughput of over 300 holes per second, to be tested within an industrial environment. The machine will be able to generate millions of holes, of less than 100 μm in diameter, on titanium panels up to 5 m x 2 m.

Work performed

During this reporting period it has been completed two different worpackages “WP1 - Process selection and optimization” and “WP2 - HTMD system design”.

Work performed in WP1 where related to the update of the micro-drilling process specifications and optimization of the two different used laser drilling methodologies used, single Pulse Micro-Drilling (SPMD) and Percussion Micro Drilling (PMD). Main achieved results where the definition of the final manufacturing requirements of the micro-perforated panels, the determination of the optimal process parameters of each micro-drilling technique in accordance with the defined requirements and the definition of the conditions and applications where it is better to apply SPMD or PMD techniques.

In addition, in WP2 the main components and systems of the machine where defined and a preliminary design and a final design of the whole machine prototype where completed.

Finally, in this reporting period, activities of WP3 have been initiated. They are related to the procurement of components and equipment, as well as their assembly to manufacture the final prototype.

Final results

Main exploitable results identified by the partners at this stage of the Hyperdrill project are mainly related to the development of a high performance laser micro-drilling machine for large metallic sheets (up to 2000 x 5000 x 1 mm).