Thermoplastic Composite Rate Enhanced Stiffened Skin: A Case Study

Spirit AeroSystems is developing a thermoplastic technology demonstrator featuring an out of autoclave fabrication approach. Furthermore, the intent is to demonstrate the capability in the United States and preferably at our own domestic facility. The chosen configuration is a fuselage skin panel about 1.2 m wide and 2.2 m long with five stringers and four frames. Laser assisted thermoplastic Automated Fiber Placement (AFP) is used to manufacture the skin; stringers are stamp formed, and frames used two fabrication paths: stamp forming and oven consolidation. Co-Fusion simultaneously consolidates the skin and welds stringers to the skin followed by a separate frame welding process.