Cost Effective Integral Metallic Structure

General Information

Friction stir welding (FSW) is now considered mature for simple applications and it has been shown that weight savings of up to 15% and cost savings of 20% can be achieved by its application. As a result FSW will be used in future Airbus aircraft such as A350. All major European airframe manufacturers believe that there are many more applications for FSW in the fabrication of cost effective integral metallic structure. Examples include circumferential joints, tailored blanks, window frames, stringer to skin attachment, spars, enclosed sections and fittings. Major technical advances need to be made beyond the current state of the art for FSW and integral metallic structure to achieve this. It is also necessary for FSW to be able to be applied to new geometries. Therefore the objective of the COINS project is to extend the application of integral metallic structure utilising friction stir welding by: advancing the state of the art of FSW technology; developing new geometries for FSW; and through innovations in design.

EU-Programme Acronym and Subprogramme Area	FP6-2005-Aero-1, area 1.3.1.1 Strengthening competitiveness
Project Type	STREP
Contract Number	AST5-CT-2006-030825
Co-ordinator	BAE Systems, UK

Total Eligible Costs (€)	Hereon Eligible Costs (€)	EC Funding for Hereon (€)
5.335.326	448.966	226.232

Contact Person at Hereon

Dr. dos Santos, Institute of Materials Research, WMF Phone: +49 4152 87 2050, Fax : +49 4152 87 2595 E-mail contact

Participants

Airbus Deutschland GmbH (DE), AIRBUS UK Ltd. (UK), ALCAN CRV (FR), Alenia Aeronautica SPA (IT), BAE SYSTEMS Ltd. (UK), Cranfield University (UK), Dassault Aviation S.A. (FR), EADS Deutschland GmbH (DE), Fatronik (ES), GIE EADS CCR (FR), Piaggio Aero Industries S.P.A. (IT), Short Brothers PLC (UK), Societe Anonyme Belge de Constructions Aeronautiques (BE)

Last Update: 16. April 2021