Abstract: Methods of making single piece multi-spar boxes made of composite material for aircraft are provided. Such methods include providing outer spars of the boxes which are made with a C-shaped cross-section such that the spars, during curing, are molded on the inside onto rigid, outer, lateral forming tools. As a result it is possible to obtain very precise outer profiles and positions of the spars.

Abstract: Methods for manufacturing elongated structural elements are provided. Such methods provide composite material having optimal properties such as weight and strength which can be produced at much lower costs compared to conventional methods. Composite materials including such elements are also provided. In addition, commercial products incorporating such structural elements are provided.

Abstract: A circuit includes an evaporator receiving heat from a hot body; a condenser transmits heat to a cold body, a working fluid flows through a first conduit in vapour phase from the evaporator to the condenser, and flows through a second conduit in liquid phase, from the condenser to the evaporator. A first evaporator portion is in fluid communication with the second conduit and acts as a compensation chamber. A second evaporator portion is in fluid communication with the first conduit and contains the vapour phase. A porous wick moves the working fluid from the first evaporator portion to the second evaporator portion. A first flow controller interrupts or allows flow when fluid temperature in the elevator is respectively lower or higher than a first threshold. A second flow controller interrupts or allows flow when the temperature in the condenser is respectively higher or lower than a second threshold.

Abstract: A method for manufacturing a composite part includes preparing a stack of plies made of a starting material, applying a vacuum bag to the stack of plies, and subjecting the stack of plies to a temperature and pressure cycle in an autoclave. The starting material is a laminate material of resin matrix reinforced with a fiber material. The matrix has a core layer of semi-crystalline thermoplastic resin and a pair of outer layers of amorphous thermoplastic resin arranged on opposite sides of the core layer. The glass transition temperature of the amorphous thermoplastic resin is below the melting point of the semi-crystalline thermoplastic resin. The autoclave temperature cycle heating rapidly the stack of plies to a working temperature above the transition temperature, but below the melting point, keeping the stack of plies at the working temperature during a time period for compaction alone; and cooling the stack of plies.

Abstract: A system for preventing icing on an aircraft surface includes a plasma actuator which is applied onto an aircraft surface operationally exposed to air and which is arranged for generating at least one plasma discharge (D) for inducing a flow (F) of ionized hot-air particles towards the surface.

Abstract: A method for assembling a first component to at least one second component, includes attaching a plurality of interface fittings to the first component, placing the first component on an assembly jig in such a way that the first component bears on the assembly jig through the interface fittings, and assembling said at least one second component to the first component placed on the assembly jig. Before the first component is placed on the assembly jig, at least one adjustable spacer member incorporated in at least one of said interface fittings is adjusted to bring at least one surface of the first component into a predetermined tolerance range.

Abstract: An interface fitting for supporting a component of a structure to be assembled on an assembly jig, includes a component-side part, adapted to be attached to the component, and a jig-side part, configured to bear in an orientable way on the assembly jig. The support block further includes, a spacer member interposed between the component-side part and the jig-side part, which can be operated to adjust the distance between the component-side part and the jig-side part.

Abstract: An element (26) for sound absorption is intended for being mounted on components of aircrafts, such as engine nacelles. The element includes a face-sheet (28), which is, at least in a region thereof, acoustically permeable, a substantially sound-reflective back-sheet (30) and a honeycomb layer (32), “sandwiched” between the face-sheet (28) and the back-sheet (30) and defining a mesh structure which has hollow cells (34, 34?) laterally neighboring one another. The cells (34, 34?) are adapted to make the sound waves that enter through the face-sheet (28) and are reflected by the back-sheet (30) resonate inside their side walls. The element (26) has a passage (36) that connects together a group of the cells (34, 34?), thereby causing the cells to acoustically cooperate with one another.

Abstract: A panel (3) for controlling the aerodynamic phenomena generated by a body (0) to be positioned on a surface of an aircraft (V). The panel (3) can be associated with the base of the body (0) and includes at least one inlet aperture (322) and at least one outlet aperture (322?) placed in communication with each other, through which a portion of a fluid flow (W) in which the body (0) is immersed can selectively pass. The inlet aperture (322) is located upstream of the body (0) and the outlet aperture (322?) is located downstream of the body (0), with respect to the direction of the fluid flow (W).

Abstract: A method for performing diagnostics of a structure subject to loads, in particular an aircraft structure, is implemented by an arrangement of sensors located at relevant points of the structure and corresponding neural networks. The method includes training the neural network in order to establish an associative relationship between the state of the structure in a subset of relevant points and the state of the structure in at least one residual relevant point. The state of the structure is detected in a plurality of relevant points under operating conditions. The state of the structure is estimated in at least one residual relevant point by the associated neural network on the basis of the pre-established associated relationship.

Abstract: A vacuum bag (18) is placed around the inner forming surface (IML) of an inner mandrel with radially retractable sectors (11a, 11b) having parallel longitudinal slots (17) with composite stringers (30) in the slots (17). An inner support (31) in each stringer is covered by an impermeable tubular bag (32). A composite skin (37) is laminated around the stringers (30), the coated supports (31, 32) and the inner forming surface (IML). An outer curing tool (50, 51) closes around the skin (37) defining an fuselage barrel outer forming surface (OML), leaving an annular gap (G) between the skin outer surface (37) and the outer forming surface (OML). Vacuum is applied between the vacuum bag (18) and the outer tool (50, 51), enlarges the uncured barrel diameter, releasing the barrel from the inner mandrel (10) and bringing the skin outer surface (37) into contact with the outer tool inner surface (IML).

Abstract: A tool for forming a C-section beam made of carbon fiber includes a straight elongated mandrel with a rectangular or trapezoidal cross-section. The mandrel has three consecutive outer faces, with a planar face configured to form a surface of the web of the C-section beam, and two opposing lateral faces, configured to form two respective surfaces of the flanges of the C-section beam. The mandrel has a distributed perforation on at least one of the three outer faces and an inlet/outlet connection to connect the mandrel to an external source of vacuum and/or compressed air. Passages are formed inside the mandrel to establish a fluid communication between the distributed perforation and the inlet/outlet connection. Through the distributed perforation, a vacuum is applied to the interface between the mandrel and the C-section beam to retain the C-section beam on the mandrel while lifted and turned by 180° for coupling to a similar C-section beam to assemble an H-beam.

Abstract: Systems are provided for measuring absorbed humidity in a composite material, including an item of composite material which includes a plurality of plies of material consolidated through the action of pressure and heat, wherein each ply of material is formed from a resin matrix reinforced with a fiber material, an insert embedded in the composite material, which is positioned in an interface zone between a first and a second ply of material, and in which at least one cavity is formed, in fluid communication with first and second ply of material, and an ambient humidity sensor positioned inside the cavity, capable of providing a signal indicating the humidity content in the atmosphere present inside the cavity. Corresponding methods are also provided.

Abstract: A method determines the tack of a material placed in contact with a surface. A sample is provided of the material, the sample including a sheet whose width increases from a first narrow end to a second wide end. The sample is applied to an upwards facing supporting surface of plate. The sample is compacted against the supporting surface of plate and a weight is attached to the first end of the sample. The plate is turned over in such a way that the supporting surface faces downwards. The detachment of the sample from the supporting surface is measured in terms of distance detached from the first end of the sample as a function of time.

Abstract: An automated system for joining at least two portions of a chassis includes an actuation device (3) adapted to move at least one portion in the space “XYZ” with three degrees of freedom. A central control unit (5) controls each actuation device (3) as a function of data obtained through sensors (7). The sensors (7) can continuously determine, on each chassis portion, key points (A, B, C) which are univocal for each portion. The central control unit (5), depending on data from the sensors (7), activates the actuation device (3) to bring near and connect the at least two portions, while the sensors (7) monitor the relative position between the key points (A, B, C) of the portions and the absolute position of the portions in the space “XYZ”. A method is associated with the automated joining system for automatically joining at least two portions to manufacture a chassis.

Abstract: An industrial plant includes a plurality of first operating stations and a plurality of second operating stations, respectively placed at a first level (H1) and at a second higher level or height (H2). Each of the operating stations is adapted to carry out a production activity on the industrial product, at least one of the activities being one among a manufacturing, processing, forming, transforming and assembling activity of an industrial product. The plant includes a moving system configured to transport the industrial product, by lifting and/or lowering the industrial product from at least one of the first operating stations to at least one of the second operating stations. A central control system controls the moving system by automatically moving the industrial product between the operating stations as a function of a predetermined principle and based on the state of occupancy of the operating stations.

Abstract: A multi-shaft aeronautical turboprop engine in which a compressor draws in air coming from an air intake and drives, through an outer first shaft, a first stage of a turbine, which is provided with a second stage that drives a propeller by means of a second shaft mounted coaxially inside the first shaft. A starting system is provided that comprises: an asynchronous reversible electric machine connected by means of a transmission to the first shaft; a synchronous electric machine connected by means of a transmission to the second shaft; a reconfigurable electrical network that, in a phase of dynamic starting of the turboprop engine following its cutting out during flight, enables the transfer of energy produced by the synchronous electric machine, set in rotation by the propeller driven by dynamic effects, to the asynchronous electric machine, which is set in rotation at a lower speed than the asynchronous machine.

Abstract: A method for producing a closed-section portion of an aircraft wherein a strain gauge is glued on a first face of a flat tape that, in turn, is fastened on a face of a tool comprising a rigid elongated body covered by an extensible sack. The tool supporting the tape is arranged in a cavity of an aircraft structure. A vacuum is then created to obtain the expansion of the vacuum sack and perform the pressure gluing of the tape onto a wall of said cavity. The tool is subsequently extracted from the cavity. Upon conclusion of these operations, the tape is integrally fastened onto a wall of the cavity so that any deformation applied to this wall is transmitted to said strain gauge.

Abstract: An actuating system of sectors of a device for producing an airplane fuselage in which a lamination mandrel includes a plurality of sectors that are angularly spaced about an axis and mobile between an expanded lamination position and a contracted dissembled position. Each sector has screw-nut screw type actuating system in which a threaded element is rotated about the axis by a motor. The threaded element includes an internal shaft made of a first material extending along the axis, an external tubular portion made of a second material that is mounted axially on the shaft and constraint element arranged between the internal shaft and the external tubular portion to prevent angular displacement of the external tubular portion with respect to the internal shaft and allow a linear sliding of the external tubular portion with respect to the internal shaft.

Abstract: An authentication system to authorize access to data to be protected, including a token having a memory that stores: an array containing alphanumeric information and random data; and a seal scheme vector containing information to enable access to each of the information items in their respective positions in the array. The authentication system is configured to: subject access to the token to the insertion of a password; decrypt the seal scheme vector; acquire the arrangement information and the size information of each random data from the seal scheme vector; check correspondence between the acquired arrangement information and the effective arrangement of the information in the array, and between the acquired size information and the effective size of the random data; authorize or deny access to the data to be protected on the basis of a result of the previous check.