Preliminary investigation of a fixture system for milling aircraft components

Important results from the project

The projects purpose was to investigate the possibility for machining fixtures in carbon fiber composite, based on the company Flexprop’s fixture technology and to present a principle design. The developed design well adheres to the demands posed on the fixture, and the initial weight reduction target was actually surpassed.

Expected long term effects

The project shows that a machining fixture in carbon fiber composite can be as much as 6 times lighter than a metal equivalent. This will impact work environment, as well as the wear of the CNC machine, as it has to handle less weight during the machining operation. The project opens up for a whole new business possibility for the company Flexprop, and follow up projects are planned.

Approach and implementation

The project has developed a principle design, based on a fixture structure commonly used today. Material selection and different analyses have been conducted to see if the proposed design meets the process requirements. A weight reduction have been calculated and the todays production system has been analysed, the latter to propose further development possibilities.