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CASCADE Project Award - July 2002

Image showing the cascade project logo. The acronym stands for CIVIL AIRCRAFT STRUCTURAL COMPOSITES - APPLICATION, DEVELOPMENT & EXPLOITATION (CASCADE). The 5 partners started work on the 2 year, £5M programme in July 2002. The group is INBIS, Qinetiq, W&J Tod, Advanced Composites Group and Airbus UK Ltd. who are the lead partner. The project is being supported by the DTI under their CARAD initiative.

Image from a simulation of the assembly of a large composite structure. The aim of this programme is to improve understanding of composites design by developing stressing methods that challenge the current rules, to screen new materials to validate the predicted benefits and reduce manufacturing costs. The technologies to be evaluated have all been shown to be viable at some scale. A key aim is to develop an understanding of the major material issues and to evaluate their viability for application under the highly demanding requirements of the aerospace industry. The technologies are aimed at reducing the final cost of an aircraft structure and thus maintaining the position of the UK industry as a cost effective supplier of highly efficient aircraft materials and structures. In addition the technologies could be used in other general engineering applications where critical, lightweight structures are utilised. The programme brings together significant levels of expertise in materials application coupled with extensive knowledge of composite development and processing.

The majority of INBIS 's tasks reside in the area of manufacturing research and our contribution is intended to achieve the following:

  • To develop innovative methods to overcome processing issues relating to the curing of epoxy based systems used in carbon composite assemblies.
  • To develop jig/tooling expertise for composite components.
  • To develop Control and Instrumentation skills in the field of control systems for 'aggressive environments' such as those experienced inside an autoclave.
  • To further develop the potential of our advanced specialist component and tool heating systems developed under previous research contracts.

For more information please contact Brian Gilbert on +44 (0)1772 645000.

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