Custom CFRP aerospace structural components

The Composite components is a custom CFRP aerospace structural component from SGL Carbon with aerospace-grade grade and dual-use market. SGL Carbon supplies custom carbon-fibre-reinforced plastic (CFRP) components for aircraft and unmanned aircraft structures, sold under the SIGRACOMP brand as aerostructure parts developed for each customer. The offer covers primary and secondary structures as well as interior parts, and the manufacturer supports a project from the first prototype through to serial production.

CFRP is a composite in which carbon fibres are embedded in a matrix. The maker lists low intrinsic weight, high strength and stiffness, excellent fatigue strength, high chemical resistance and corrosion resistance as the main properties for aerospace use. It also lists good vibration damping, X-ray transparency and low thermal expansion as general CFRP properties. In practice this means a structural part can be made considerably lighter than an aluminium or steel equivalent while keeping its stiffness, which is how an airframe designer gains payload or endurance on a UAV.

Because the parts are customer-specific, there is no fixed catalogue dimension or mass; the design capability is component development to the customer's requirements. SGL describes automated fibre processing and a Lightweight and Application Center where production concepts are developed and prototypes are made in close collaboration with the customer. Prototyping and low-rate production are supported, as are series volumes, so a programme can start with a small number of parts and scale up without changing supplier.

The materials come from the company's own range: SIGRAFIL continuous carbon fibre tows, SIGRATEX textile materials and SIGRAPREG pre-impregnated materials. Continuous carbon and glass fibres, textile, pre-impregnated and thermoplastic materials are used depending on the part. For an integrator, this supports material selection at the design stage, since the fibre architecture and resin system can be matched to the loads, the temperature range and the manufacturing process of the component.

Integration is handled through the drawing and interface requirements agreed with SGL, including the joints to the rest of the airframe, and qualification requirements are agreed per project.

The maker names these typical aerospace applications: payload fairings, tanks, bulkheads, aircraft seat components and UAV structural components. Other uses include primary and secondary structural parts for aircraft and unmanned aircraft.