Langzauner builds RTM press to produce large aerocomposite parts at AMRC COMPASS
Press system developed with 10,500 × 3,500-millimeter platen and supporting forces up to 2,400 tons aims to reduce large component process times by a factor of 10.
An artist’s impression of the new AMRC innovation facility in South Yorkshire. Source (All Images) | AMRC
Hydraulic press systems manufacturer Langzauner (Lambrechten, Austria), in collaboration with the University of Sheffield Advanced Manufacturing Research Centre (AMRC, Catcliffe, U.K.), announces a breakthrough, namely development of what it claims is the largest resin transfer molding (RTM) press system globally for integral aerostructure parts.
The RTM system innovation was achieved with the help of the AMRC’s Composites at Speed and Scale (COMPASS) R&D facility. Announced in July 2023, COMPASS is home to AMRC’s largest ever collaborative R&D program with founder and long-standing member Boeing to de-risk and develop high-rate sustainable structures. Langzauner’s press system will be used as part of this project to reduce large component process times by a factor of 10 — from approximately 40 hours to just 4 hours — while maintaining high quality standards.
“When we created the specification for such a piece of equipment, we knew we had set the bar very high in what was achievable,” explains Darren Wells, senior technical fellow for large composite structures at the University of Sheffield AMRC. “Langzauner’s solution not only meets all of our targets, but exceeds in many of them, meaning this press will be at the forefront of high-rate composites manufacturing research for years to come.”
The press system features a 10,500 × 3,500-millimeter platen size and delivers high precision with fully adjustable pressing force up to 2,400 tons. Additional features include:
- Press force regulation accuracy of 0.1%
- Advanced sliding table system accommodating 180-ton mold mass
- Plate parallelism control within hundredths of a millimeter
- Individual cylinder control with active parallelism management
- Gap injection functionality with a two-axis rotation capability.
The AMRC and Langzauner teams during the factory acceptance testing at Langzauner’s facility in Austria.
The system is also fully integrated with Industrial Internet of Things (IIoT) capabilities, enabling comprehensive data collection for AI and machine learning applications in factory-scale process optimization.
“We’re not just building equipment; we’re revolutionizing how the next generation of aircraft will be produced,” says Alexander Wiesner, head of global sales and marketing at Langzauner.
Langzauner’s commitment to vertical integration is further demonstrated by the ongoing assembly of a large-scale hot drape former for RTM preform preparation, ensuring a complete solution for next-generation aerospace manufacturing needs.
The RTM press system will arrive at the AMRC’s new innovation facility in South Yorkshire in March 2025.
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