787 - Can the composites be taken further?
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787 - Can the composites be taken further?
The 787 is going to be the first large civil aircraft to use composite material extensively...however the fuselage frames, and the wing ribs are still going to be metallic...
Now that the A350 is going to have composite fuselage frames, it would seem to have an advantage in technology terms. However, is it possible that Boeing could move at some stage to composite frames that are actually an integral part of the monolithic fuselage? These frames could be spun into the mandrel during the same process as the skin. Such a step would remove a massive number of fasteners, and would take the 787 down a path that the panel-clad A350 could not follow.
I'm not sure if this is possible, but if it were, I'm sure Boeing could introduce it across the 787 family at some stage...
Any comments?
Now that the A350 is going to have composite fuselage frames, it would seem to have an advantage in technology terms. However, is it possible that Boeing could move at some stage to composite frames that are actually an integral part of the monolithic fuselage? These frames could be spun into the mandrel during the same process as the skin. Such a step would remove a massive number of fasteners, and would take the 787 down a path that the panel-clad A350 could not follow.
I'm not sure if this is possible, but if it were, I'm sure Boeing could introduce it across the 787 family at some stage...
Any comments?
