Overall lightweight design of key aerospace components based on additive technology

2022Year8In March, the Ministry of Industry and Information Technology released the “List of the First Batch of Typical Application Scenarios for Additive Manufacturing”. After local recommendations, expert review, social publicity and other procedures, the first batch of typical application scenarios for additive manufacturing has been released. were trained, especially in industrial, medical and construction, cultural and other fields.36High-quality application scenarios have been selected.

In order to accelerate the application and promotion of advanced additive manufacturing technologies and equipment, the China Additive Manufacturing Industry Alliance was established.The “Additive Manufacturing Typical Application Scenario Case Column” displays outstanding achievement cases in a three-dimensional manner from the perspective of demand issues, case introductions, technological progress, application results and next steps.

Now the first problem“Integral lightweight design of key aerospace components based on additive technology” is published as follows.

Type of scene:Lightweight design of complex structural products

Stage Project Name：Overall lightweight design of key aerospace components based on additive technology

Equipment manufacturer:Shanghai Laser Detection Technology Co., Ltd.

Xi’an Blite Additive Technology Co., Ltd.

Scenario project cell：Service provider:Shanghai Aerospace Precision Machinery Research Institute

Application unit:China Aerospace Science and Technology Society

1. Context overview

(1) Require pain points

Faced with the new international situation and military strategic environment, the performance requirements of aerospace weapons are increasingly higher, and the need for lightweight, integrated and integrated equipment is more and more urgent. Currently, due to the affordability constraints of traditional manufacturing methods, it is becoming increasingly difficult to reduce the weight of key parts in aerospace vehicles. In order to pursue lighter weight reduction goals, their structures are becoming more and more complex. and traditional manufacturing costs are extremely high or even impossible to manufacture, which has seriously limited the development of new high-performance aerospace vehicles.

(2) Solutions

As one of the most promising additive manufacturing technologies, selective laser melting additive manufacturing technology can manufacture parts directly from digital models. In theory, it can realize the manufacturing of any complex structure, such as lattice, honeycomb and conformal structures, which are difficult to manufacture. with traditional manufacturing processes. Complex innovative structures such as flow channels, as shown in the figure.1As noted, it provides a practical engineering approach for functional requirements such as lightweight structure and thermal prevention and control of spacecraft.

（A) lattice structure (b) honeycomb structure (c) topology

picture 1 Additive manufacturing of innovative structures

2. Presentation of the case–lattice+Lightweight, fully skinned rudder surface

(1) Description of the case

Rudder wing products are the actuators of aerospace vehicle stability control systems and are important components to ensure stable flight and maneuverability of the aircraft. The lightweight structure not only affects the maneuverability and response rate of the aircraft, but also has a great impact on the power output of the steering system. With the continuous advancement of manufacturing technology, rudder and wing products have evolved from the original solid plate rudder to the mainstream skeletal skin wing rudder, as shown in the figure.2As noted, its level of lightness gradually improves.

（A) Integrated sandwich rudder fin (b) Rudder wing with sandwich structure with reinforced wing ribs (c) Skeleton skin structure rudder wing

picture 2 Rudder Sail Product Form

In response to the urgent need for lightweight rudder and wing products, a lattice die was adopted.+The overall lightweight structure of the skin enables innovative design and manufacturing of rudder wing products. The interior of the rudder wing product is filled with a lattice structure, and the exterior is a thin-walled aerodynamic skin structure. The mesh and the skin are an integral part. structure and can be directly manufactured in an additive manner.

picture 3 Aluminum alloy mesh+Lightweight, overall folding air rudder

trellis+The overall lightweight surface of the rudder skin adopts selective laser melt forming technology, and the product manufacturing equipment is from Xi’an Blite Company.BLT-S300Type of selective laser melt forming equipment, the maximum formable size is250×250×400mm3as shown in the figure 4（A); as well as Shanghai True Detection Company.TS320Type of selective laser melt forming equipment, the maximum formable size is320×320×420mm3as shown in the figure 4（b) watch.

（A）BLT-S300 Type (b）TS320 mold

picture 4 Selective Laser Melt Forming Equipment

(2) Technical level and advancement

One is aluminum alloy mesh+The overall skin is light, and the folded rudder surface is lighter than the solid rudder surface.65.5%the weight of the rudder and wing structure is significantly reduced.

Second, the maximum equivalent stress under a given surface load is less than the yield strength, and its moment of inertia about the rotation axis decreases after optimization.65.4%the effect is obvious.

Third, through the design of the internal truss structure, such as unit cell structure, layout optimization, etc., the center of mass of the rudder wing can be adjusted freely, thereby reducing the use of counterweight and even completely replacing the traditional counterweight adjustment. .

Fourth, the process is simple, the manufacturing cycle is shortened, and the cost is reduced. trellis+The lightweight overall structure of the skin rudder can be directly formed by selective laser melting, eliminating the need for skin welding and weld inspection.

3. Results of promotion of applications

This type of trellis+The lightweight skin-integrated rudder product has passed the static flight deployment, deployment and flight deployment test evaluations. At present, it is stably supplied to some aircraft models every year.100The remaining parties strongly supported the development of the model.

4. Next step of improvement and promotion

Currently, based on additive manufacturing technology, the light weight of rudder and wing products has been achieved through the design and manufacturing of truss structures. In the future, we will work more on improving the damping performance of rudder and wing products through anti-flapping through new materials and innovative microstructure design, and improving of the functionality of rudder and wing products such as thermal insulation through micro-channel structures, in order to further improve the functionality indicators of rudder and wing products. This type of product has good promotion and application prospects, especially due to the requirements of stealth and high maneuverability of future weapons and equipment, the demand for miniaturization and light weight is more urgent, and its promotion value is greater .

source:Shanghai Aerospace Precision Machinery Research Institute