After an ambitious four-year challenge, the MultiFAL project, funded by the European Union, is entering its final phase with excellent results for the aircraft assembly industry: the development of a full-scale automated plant system for joining thermoplastic fuselages that integrates with the existing assembly plant system on site.
Led by CT and incorporating the expertise of FFT and AIMEN, this initiative will help reduce the commissioning time of automated plant systems by up to 20% through the use of tools for virtual commissioning.
It will also help increase the level of detail in production steps by around 25% through the implementation of interfaces between the plant system and production control.
CT has been responsible for the design and final testing of the fuselage demonstrator. The implementation of the 3DEXPERIENCE Platform in the cloud has been crucial to ensure fast and simple collaboration among all partners (designers, managers, and external suppliers) for storing, creating, and sharing all project information: design files—from conceptual designs in CATIA V5 to the final 3D design in CATIA 3DEXPERIENCE—manufacturing drawings, and documentation in a wide range of file formats. The platform has also been used for project management activities such as task assignment, deadline definition, and component release for final design review.
Conceptual design for the MultiFal station in CATIA V5
MultiFAL station: Photograph and Digital Mock-Up in CATIA 3DEXPERIENCE
Overall, MultiFAL implements process simulation, automation, plant concepts, and virtual commissioning technologies to improve assembly process performance and provide a deep understanding of the relevant factors involved in implementing a full-scale automated plant following a brownfield approach. Different assembly approaches and joining processes have been considered for different use cases, taking into account the currently limited and double-sided accessibility for complete fuselage sections. As a result, MultiFAL also enables greater adaptability of both the robotic machinery and the central control system.
About CT
CT is a leading technology company providing innovation and engineering services in the aerospace, space, naval, automotive, rail, energy, and industrial plant sectors. CT pushes the boundaries of technology through innovation and raises efficiency to the next level by covering the entire product lifecycle, from design and manufacturing to after-sales support. With more than 30 years of experience, CT’s success is driven today by over 1,800 expert engineers across seven countries on three continents.
More information: www.thectengineeringgroup.com
Cadtech Communications Department
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