So far, maintenance staff have decided whether lights or switches need to be replaced by looking and touching. But the optical and haptic sensation is very subjective. And it is impossible to predict whether a functional part will be worn out in a few days or weeks.

Fully automated and always consistent

In the Robot-Controlled Cockpit Electronics Testing (RoCCET) project, Lufthansa Technik's Aircraft Component Services division has developed the world's first robot system for such tests. The robot uses a gripper arm to operate all switches on the operating units of a cockpit and measures the forces that are required. A camera simultaneously records the luminous intensity of all displays from different angles. And another camera looks for external damage to the instruments.

All this is done fully automatically and always according to uniform specifications. The system thus reduces the workload for employees and the maintenance effort per unit by up to two hours.

Looking to the future

What's more, the measurement data collected by the robot can be combined with existing aircraft data and analyzed alongside it. This makes it possible to determine exactly when the life cycle of a display or switch is coming to an end. This predictive maintenance enables the part to be replaced in good time before it fails. This increases the reliability of the equipment and reduces unplanned maintenance of the aircraft – their operational readiness increases accordingly.

Lufthansa Technik developed the robot-based test procedure from 2016 to 2018. It is currently in the integration phase and is to be used in 2019 for testing the first cockpit control units. In the future, the method can also be used for testing other control units in the cockpit or cabin.

The upper composite sits at the topmost tip of a launch vehicle. After launch, it is separated in orbit from the central stage and injects satellites into orbit. The ArianeGroup is assembling the upper composites for Ariane 5 and 6 in Bremen; in technical jargon, this is called integration. All components, large and small – such as tanks, the engine, the outer shell, electrical elements and piping – are assembled into a finished upper composite.

The process is highly complex. The integration of a single Ariane 5 upper composite takes an average of three months – provided no disruptions occur. A total of up to 60 employees are involved in the process. The ArianeGroup builds six Ariane 5 upper composites a year, always working on three models in parallel.

Digitizing complexity

So far, hard copy has prevailed. This means the mechanics and quality inspectors are provided with a printout of the work steps at the beginning of each workday. It's not ideal. For example, it is not very convenient to handle the papers in the very small installation space of the Ariane 5 upper composite, which has a diameter of only 5.40 meters.

In the Future Launcher Integration Concept (FLIC) project, the ArianeGroup is researching digital processes for the integration of the new Ariane 6 upper composite. Instead of printed documents, employees shall in future be provided with all important information in digital form on a tablet or data glasses. Smart monitors at fixed workstations, from which employees can access all data at any time, are also being considered.

Unique in the world

A special highlight of the project and unique in the world so far are so-called intelligent network plans: The system monitors the strictly prescribed sequence of work steps and checks which employee can best be deployed to which position. If a work process comes to a standstill, the system automatically calculates where the mechanic concerned can continue to work most efficiently – taking into account, for example, whether the necessary materials are available. In the past, these decisions had to be made by the team leader on the basis of printed workflows. The efficiency gain is considerable.

No one-way street

The digital technologies developed in the FLIC project also facilitate complex and time-consuming documentation. During their work, employees have to record exactly which components they have installed where, using what methods. In the future, these data will be digitally recorded via tablet or data glasses. This saves time and reduces the likelihood of error. Handovers also become easier when digital. If, for example, an employee glues a part in his shift, he can electronically store how long the glue needs to dry. The colleague in the next shift can read this note and know when he can continue working on the component.

Demonstrator in use, industrialization in view

The FLIC project has been running since 2016 and will be completed in April 2019. The result is a demonstrator and software to display the digital processes on electronic devices such as tablets or data glasses. By 2023, the system should be suitable for industrial use, i.e., the upper composites of the future Ariane 6 will be built as standard using digital work processes. Ariane 6 is scheduled to launch in 2020 and be fully operational by 2023.

FLIC is part of a larger research project to develop new technologies for the Ariane upper composite. The project is financed in part by the German Aerospace Center (DLR). In addition to the DLR, the ArianeGroup also cooperates with the universities of Bremen and Wismar.

Drilling robot accelerates and improves production

Airbus manufactures the landing flaps of the worldwide bestsellers A330 and A350 in Bremen. Correspondingly, the volume of work for the new colleague is huge: the stationary robot drills up to 5,000 rivet holes per day. And it gets better: in the future, an electromagnetic spindle will be used that drills more finely with alternating feed movements than was possible with previous manual and semi-automated processes. The unwanted drilling chips that occur in the process are such small particles that they can be completely extracted by suction.

And it goes fast, too: the fully automated process reduces the machining time for titanium components by about half. In addition, the new drilling technology generates less heat. The consequence: tools wear less and the material used is less stressed. The maintenance effort for the electromagnetic spindle is practically zero.

Autonomous transport robot in operation

In addition to the new drilling robot, Airbus in Bremen is now also using an autonomous transport robot. It supplies the workers at the landing flaps with small tools and consumable parts in every situation. And thanks to a navigation system, Airbus Bremen gave it complete freedom of movement in the production hall.

Just the beginning

The innovative drilling technology was funded by the German government as part of the Eitec aviation research project and worked on as part of an R&T project at Airbus. Following its successful deployment in Bremen, the technology will also be used at other Airbus locations and for other aircraft parts in the future.

CoAX 2D is the somewhat bulky name of the new helicopter. It offers space for two people and weighs just 280 kilograms. This makes it one of the ultralight aircraft, not allowed to weigh more than 472 kilograms. So far, this category only includes motorized aircraft, gliders and gyrocopters, in which the rotors are driven exclusively by the airstream and which require a runway to take off.

Innovative design with decisive advantages

The newly developed helicopter from edm aerotec is establishing a completely new class of ultralight helicopters. It is the first ultralight helicopter certified in Germany whose rotors are powered by an engine and which can take off and land vertically. Its development and approval were driven forward by the company in close consultation with the German Federal Aviation Office (LBA) and the German Ultralight Aircraft Association (DULV).

The CoAX 2D looks different from the first glance: the main rotor consists of two rotor planes arranged one above the other, each consisting of two rotor blades rotating in opposite directions. This means there's no need for a tail rotor. This novel configuration has significant advantages. The absence of the tail rotor reduces noise by 80 percent. In addition, the entire engine power is devoted to the main rotor, which, compared to conventional helicopters, results in 30 percent more power for the main rotor and correspondingly greater lift. In addition, operation becomes easier for the pilot, as the tail rotor usually compensates for the torque of the main rotor, and the pilot has to control it additionally. This in turn saves time and money in pilot training. And the costs for maintenance and repair are also many times lower.

From Thuringia to the world

The application possibilities are manifold. The new helicopter is ideal for pilot training. In addition, it can be used for simple transport or in the agricultural sector for the distribution of pesticides, for example.

The new helicopter received German type certification in 2017. For its unique design, it was awarded the German Aviation Innovation Prize in 2018, among other prizes. And the first flight schools in Germany are now training pilots with the new helicopter. One model each was also delivered to China and Japan. Global sales are to be further boosted in 2019.

Even today, components with large surface areas such as carbon fiber wings and fuselage parts can be manufactured in series by robots. But automation has its limits, especially when parts with complex shapes are to be manufactured.

Carbon fiber behaves like fabric

The crux of the light carbon-fiber fabrics: they are a textile material – like fabric from which clothing is sewn. Imagine covering the surface of a sphere with a piece of fabric – a complex task that requires overlaps and cuts. However, this is precisely what must be achieved if, for example, aircraft windows, engine sections or bent tubes are to be made of carbon fiber.

Up to now, engineers have manually put the thin carbon-fiber layers in the correct arrangement and thus formed the components. This takes a long time, often several hours for each individual component. Profitable production in high quantities is not possible this way. This is aggravated by the fact that the increasing demand in air traffic makes higher production rates necessary – this can only be achieved with automated processes.

Robots build aircraft parts

Cevotec has now achieved the impossible. With its Fiber Patch Placement (FPP) technology, the start-up company has developed and launched a process on the market with which even small, complex components can be produced from carbon fiber using robots. Imagine it this way: The material made of carbon fiber is rolled up like packing tape. A robot cuts small pieces – so-called patches – from this tape. The size of the patches is adapted to the component size and its complexity. A robot arm then deposits the patches and forms components that an engineer has previously designed on a computer. The engineers can design the parts and calculate the optimal arrangement of the patches using a specially developed software. The software also programs the robot movements for the subsequent production process.

The advantages are considerable. Compared to manual production, the process saves up to 50 percent of carbon-fiber material. Thanks to extensive sensor technology and the associated process control, the necessary quality controls are also carried out during the manufacturing process – so complex follow-up controls are greatly reduced or eliminated. And the time for production is reduced many times over. Moreover, the process makes it possible to mix different materials and to work with adhesive films or copper wire, for example. Aircraft parts can thus often be manufactured in a single production step.

Development continues

The Cevotec team has been working on the new process since 2014. It was supported by the German government’s EXIST program. The first industrial plant was introduced to the market in 2017. Cevotec is currently working closely with leading air carriers to develop new manufacturing processes and components that will be launched in just a few years.

One meter wide, 50 centimeters high. Four wheels that allow navigation in all directions. A rectangular box reminiscent of a suitcase. This is what the aviation robot of the future, which the engineers at ZAL GmbH named ZALamander, looks like. Its unimpressive appearance must not obscure what the device will achieve one day. It is still primarily an experimental platform on the basis of which new functionalities are tested and feasibility studies carried out.

All in one

The new robot is a true all-rounder. It can transport materials to the workplace, monitor safety zones and identify risks, carry out quality checks in production or during maintenance, and, in the future, perform work itself using an additional robot arm. Aircraft manufacturers currently use their own individual robots for all these different steps – or carry them out manually. The robot developed by ZAL GmbH is suitable for all of these tasks.

ZALamander owes this versatility to the cooperation in a yet-unique team. Experts from the fields of construction and robotics participated in the development, as did experts on the subjects of artificial intelligence and 3D printing. This means that all areas are taken into consideration in tests and studies – an essential basis for developing the mobile all-rounder.

Practical test pending

A first use in practice is already being planned. Airbus would like to use the robot for safety purposes. The experts at ZAL GmbH are currently working with colleagues from the Airbus R&T department Assembly Innovation to develop a concept for the deployment of the security robot: Very heavy aircraft components are moved with cranes during production. In the future, the new robot is to travel underneath a crane during such transport and monitor the safety area there. If it detects people who are there in contravention of safety regulations, it sounds the alarm. The first tests for this and other applications are already taking place.

The robot can be seen at the ZAL Innovation Days (https://zal-innovationdays.aero/), which will be held on February 27 and 28 on the topic "Robotics & Advanced Automation." With ZALamander, the ZAL in Hamburg once again proves that it is a prime example of successful cooperation between state and private sponsors and develops groundbreaking aviation technologies throughout Europe.

Although they are much heavier, piston engines work much more efficiently. In the closed piston chamber, pressures and temperatures are reached that are not possible in turbofans. Bauhaus Luftfahrt wants to combine these efficiency advantages of piston engines with the weight advantages of turbo engine – with a clear vision: to meet the climate protection targets of Flightpath 2050. The EU Commission wants to reduce CO₂ emissions from European aviation by 75 percent by 2050 compared to 2000.

Increasing the efficiency of engines

The new concept is called a composite cycle engine. From the outside, the engine is reminiscent of a conventional turbofan. The clever thing is found inside. There, the high-pressure part of the engine is replaced by a piston system. This results in extreme pressure and temperature conditions, which enable significantly higher efficiency for the engine.

The numbers are impressive: the composite cycle engine enables peak pressure ratios of over 300, where state-of-the-art turbofan engines generate a maximum of 60. Compared to the technology level of the year 2000, fuel consumption is reduced by about half – in other words, a large part of the Flightpath 2050 target can be achieved with this technology alone. And even if further efficiency increases for turbofans by the year 2050 are taken into account, the composite cycle engine still consumes around 15 percent less fuel.

Vision in progress

Bauhaus Luftfahrt is developing this innovative engine jointly with MTU Aero Engines and has already conducted several feasibility studies. Further research work will follow to clarify technical issues that have not yet been solved, such as the actual interaction of piston and turbo components. The next target is a demonstrator engine – a model was already on display at the ILA 2018. The partners’ goal is to have the first aircraft with the composite cycle engine in the sky by 2035. In the future, the engine should be available for all types of aircraft – a promising prospect for green aviation.

Enormous savings potential

The Bavarian start-up CAPHENIA GmbH intends to implement precisely this idea: to develop a fuel for aircraft from CO₂. In the new CAPHENIA process – to put it simply – natural gas and CO₂ are converted into fuel in a reactor with the help of electricity from renewable energies. This can replace petrol, diesel or kerosene from fossil sources. By reusing CO₂ emitted by industrial plants, for example, this fuel saves up to 30 percent of CO₂ emissions compared to conventional fuels.

Synthetic fuels are most valuable in air traffic, where renewable alternatives like those available on the road or on rails are lacking. Electrification of aircraft with more than 100 passengers is not feasible in the medium term. And in contrast to biofuels, synthetic kerosene does not require land that would compete with food production.

The objectives of aviation are ambitious: aviation aims to halve its net CO₂ emissions by 2050 compared to 2005. In addition to increasing the efficiency of aircraft and biofuels, innovative technologies such as synthetic fuels are a promising option. CAPHENIA GmbH is a pioneer in this regard: the CAPHENIA process will be ready for the market in a few years, and the existing infrastructure at airports can generally be used for synthetic fuels.

Testing starts

CAPHENIA GmbH has already registered almost 200 patents in conjunction with the new process. As a next step, a first reactor is planned to test the process on a large scale. For Germany in particular, the process offers the opportunity to once again become a global technology leader. What's more: even the production of the synthetic fuel would be possible in Germany and could create jobs and added value.

Aviation wants to halve its net CO₂ emissions by 2050 compared to 2005. This is the goal of the international community of states within the framework of the UN aviation organization, ICAO. At the same time, air traffic is growing by several percentage points every year. To make aviation greener, all potentials must be exploited. Hydrogen is one of them.

Innovative concept for hydrogen propulsion

One of the Airbus concepts is called "hydrogen to torque.” Put simply, several fuel cells generate electricity in this process. One example of how this technology could be used is in an auxiliary power unit (APU) in the rear of an aircraft. Unlike the large engines below the wings, which give the aircraft the necessary thrust, an APU primarily supplies energy inside an aircraft. In ground operation before takeoff, for instance, it generates electricity to operate the onboard electronics and the air conditioning system.

Demonstrator shows how it works

Airbus has developed a demonstrator together with the Center of Applied Aeronautical Research (ZAL) in Hamburg and demonstrated that the concept works. With the ZAL, the city of Hamburg sponsors pioneering innovations in the civil aviation industry in the Hamburg metropolitan region. Airbus' innovative concept demonstrates the successes that have been achieved here. At the ILA 2018, Airbus received the German Aviation Innovation Award from the Federal Ministry for Economic Affairs and Energy in the "Reduction of emissions" category.

Airbus has now filed its first patents. However, it will be a few years before the technology can actually be used in aircraft. In addition to further development work, approval issues must also be resolved.

The newly developed Pearl 15 engine is used in the latest generation of large business jets and uses more digital technologies than any other engine before. This includes a monitoring system, for example, that for the first time records several thousand parameters of the engines and important add-on components during operation in real time. Using specially developed algorithms, it is possible to detect any maintenance requirements while still in the air using complex calculation procedures. Thanks to secure, bi-directional communication channels, the new monitoring system also offers new possibilities for remote diagnosis: It not only sends relevant data for maintenance to the responsible engineers, but can also be configured from the ground. It allows data to be monitored in a live stream and compare them with those of the entire fleet. This most advanced engine monitoring system in the world uses digital capabilities to make intelligent decisions and aims to ensure maximum engine availability.

At first glance, the leap towards digitalization only seems interesting for technicians and engineers, but most of all it offers customers the advantage of even greater engine availability. But people in the vicinity of airports and the environment also benefit permanently from the new engine generation that was developed with the help of the latest digital tools. The engine is 2 decibels quieter, emits 7 percent less CO₂ and 20 percent less nitrogen oxide while delivering up to 9 percent more thrust at the same time.

Part of a larger vision

The latest engine generation is part of the Rolls-Royce vision of the intelligent engine. The company wants to revolutionize aircraft engines using cloud-based analysis and big data. The goal is for engines to be able to communicate with each other one day and even adapt to the context of their current use: Certain characteristics of the respective operation, possible restrictions and the needs of the customer. Reactions to the environment become possible without human intervention. This is the next systematic step towards the vision of the "Intelligent Engine", in which the boundaries between physical products and services are becoming increasingly blurred. Ultimately, this concept will lead to engines learning by themselves and eventually being able to heal themselves to some extent.

Technology from Brandenburg

The Rolls-Royce plant in Dahlewitz plays a key role here. This is where the new Pearl engine family is developed, tested on test benches, built and looked after when in service. The practical test program during development, in which the engines are subjected to extreme conditions at various locations worldwide, is also controlled from here. These include tests at temperatures as low as minus 40 degrees Celsius, heavy rainfall or direct lightning strikes. The tests ensure that the engine functions reliably even under extreme conditions.

The new engine was certified by EASA in February 2018 and is currently undergoing final flight testing. In 2019, the first Bombardier Global 5500 and Global 6500 aircraft will be delivered to customers worldwide.

The new engine of the Pearl engine family is the culmination of Rolls-Royce's more than 100-year history in aviation. The company's engines power some 5,000 aircraft worldwide.