Funded by the EU CleanSky2 Program (Horizon 2020), the Rib-ON project’s target is to respond to some of the technological challenges linked to the hot forming process for aluminium alloys.
Weight reduction is a big challenge that the aerospace sector faces to improve the energy efficiency of the aircrafts. For that purpose, aluminium is a widely used material in the manufacturing of aeronautical components, due to the combination of light weight and resistance properties.
In this particular context, the European project Rib-ON “Innovative Stamping Die for Aluminium Ribs Hot Stamping” aims to develop a new modular tooling concept to transform aluminium alloy blanks, taking the main advantages of the hot forming technology.
More specifically, the Rib-ON project will focus in the development of a solution that will allow to obtain different components of the wing-ribs (structural parts from the wings of the future aircrafts) with a single tool. The components to be manufactured with this tool will be part of the flight demonstrators for the European Union’s Clean-Sky program.
The hot forming technology is the main technological driver of the project and presents many relevant challenges for the research team, not only in the material forming process itself, but also taking into consideration that the tool must ensure the high performance of the pieces manufactured by means of this innovative process.
The tooling material will also be worked out in order to improve its wear and thermal fatigue properties, with a special outlook to the tool steel and its surface conditions.
Rib-ON project is funded by Clean-Sky2 program (Horizon 2020) for years 2018 and 2019. This ambitious project is led by Batz S. Coop. with the technological support of IK4-AZTERLAN Metallurgy Research Centre within the metallurgical developments associated to the hot forming technology.
Webpage of Clean Sky 2 program, part of European Union’s Horizon 2020 program.
