advantages of boeing

7/31/2019 Advantages of Boeing

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COMPARISON OF BOEING 787 DREAM

LINER WITH OTHER BOEING SERIESEngine Technology

AdvancementsEngine and nacelle features(Common to RR and GE engines) Higher bypass ratio and higher pressure ratiocompressor High-flow low-speed fan Advanced materials and coatings

No-engine-bleed systems architecture Low-noise nacelles with chevrons Engine types are interchangeable at wing / pyloninterface

Advanced Aerodynamics State of the art 3-D aerodynamic analysis and

design tools provide:Advanced transonic wing design for improvedspeed and liftHigh performance, but mechanically simplified highlift system for


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high reliability and reduced maintenance costMulti-disciplinary optimization for best combinationof weight, drag

and engine performance Tightly integrated packaging of systems to reducethe size ofaerodynamic fairings for reduced weight and dragAdvanced aerodynamic features validated throughextensive wind

tunnel test program at both high and lowReynolds number facilities Laminar flow nacelles Variable camber trailing edge

787 Advanced SystemsEfficient Airplane Systems

Advanced Energy Management The More ElectricAirplane

Flight Controls Variable Camber Trailing Edge andDrooped SpoilersHighly Integrated Avionics

Common Core Systems open architecture Integrated Flight Controls Electronics

Integrated Communication/Navigation/Surveillanceequipment

Integrated Airplane Systems controle-Enabled Airplane

Broadband connectivity within airplane and with ground


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Flight DeckCrew Information SystemOnboard Health Maintenance

Cabin systemsLanding Gear Systems

New Control-by-Wire Landing Gear ActuationElectronic control and sequencing of landing gearand doors

Dedicated proximity sensors to monitor gear and doorposition, and to control sequencingAlternate landing gear extension electrically controlledand hydro-mechanically released

Brake ControlControl-by-wire for brake, autobrake, andanti-skid functions

Electric Brake Actuators Steering ControlControl-by-wire rudder pedals and dual tillers Brake Temperature Monitoring System baseline Tire Pressure Indication System baseline

Final Nose Configuration Four windows,fewer posts Pilot vision similar to 777 Non-opening windows


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Crew escape door Vertically stowed wipers

Windshield washerFuel Systems Improvements Improved Fuel Quantity availability(measuring sticks removed) Highly capable center tank fuel scavengesystem Improved lateral balance correction withoutneed to turn off fuel pumps Redundant jettison path of main tank fuel Improved anti-ignition safety using all-tankNitrogen inerting and compliance to latest

ignitionprevention regulations.Boeing 787 Dreamliner RepresentsComposites Revolution

When Boeing first considered extensive use ofstructural composites on the 787 Dreamliner, its

engineers knew intuitively the epoxy/carbon fibermatrices would reduce weight significantly, allowingfuel savings and extended flying range. But after anintensive early look at composites, they realizedfundamental design changes were possible that


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would allow functional systems integration, as wellas changes in lamellar flow that would improveaerodynamics.

From a materials point of view, the 787 Dreamlineris one of the most revolutionary leaps in the historyof manufacturing.

But in order to meet an ambitious delivery schedule the first delivery is scheduled for May 2008 there

were tremendous hurdles to jump: No one ever attempted to mass produce very

large carbon-reinforced plastic structures, whichare thermoset materials with significantly slowerprocessing times than thermoplastics,

The critical tooling for such large sections was

still very much in the development stage and, infact, represented one of the few, small stumblesin the development program,

New coatings had to be developed to deal withthe crack propagation issues, which are not afactor with aluminum. Engineers had to devisedifferent systems to deal with electrical shorts

because composites are not electricallyconductive.

One area that was not new was the materialstechnology. When we made the decision on


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composites use in the wings, fuselage, floor beamsand so on, we went down a path based on amaterial that we had already had a significant

amount of production experience with on the Triple7, says Dr. Alan G. Miller, director of technologyintegration on the 787 and former chief engineer forall materials technology at Boeing. We knew thethings like dimensional stability. We knew howcomposites impacted the manufacturing flows. Wehad a lot of design allowables databases. We had alot of confidence from our customers.

TheBoeing 777 is 9 percent composites by weight,compared to 50 percent for the Boeing 787.Throughout the life of the 777, the Carbon-reinforcedplastic materials (composites) were enhanced interms of their properties, manufacturing and coststructure.

There are several different types of composites usedon the 787, includingbismaleimide, depending onspecific applications requirements. There are severalsmaller parts made from discontinuous fibers thatcan be molded into odd shapes. There is also

extensive use of thermoplastics in the interior of theaircraft, but thats not a departure from previousdesigns.
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All of the composites are supplied by TorayIndustries, the worlds largest producer of carbonfiber. Since 2004, Boeing has placed composites

orders with Toray estimated at more than $6 billion,creating pressure on prices and supplies for otherusers. The estimate was based on projectedproduction as of 2006, numbers which are alreadyout-of-date because of the spectacular success ofthe 787.

At the end of 2003, Toray had capacity to produce7,300 metric tons of carbon fiber products. By thissummer, capacity will reach 13,900 metric tons. Itsinvestment in that time period for carbon fiberproducts are approaching a billion dollars.Expansions are coming in the U.S. (Tacoma, WAand Decatur, AL), as well as in France and Japan.Demand for PAN (polyacrylonitrile)-based carbonfiber is growing 15 percent a year, driven now by the787. Later growth will come from full-scalepenetration of the auto market and energy-relatedapplications such as CNG tanks.

Mass Production Issues

Production processes for composites aresignificantly slower than they are for thermoplastics.We have had no applications (before theDreamliner) with high volumes, says Miller. The
http://www.pslc.ws/mactest/pan.htmhttp://www.pslc.ws/mactest/pan.htm


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composites industry has never had to deal with thisbefore. That was a mountain we had to climb.

Traditional machine tool producers provided themost important solutions, in Millers view. Oneexample isCincinnati Machine Co. which issupplying new tape layers and fiber placementsystems for the Dreamliner 787. High-speedprecision lay-up helps accelerate work flow toshorten build schedules and reduce work in process

costs, says Randy Kappesser, general manager ofcomposites for Cincinnati Machines. The newestequipment can lay up tape over complex geometricshapes using proprietary software programstranslated from CAD and laminate data. Thesoftware allows for offline part programming andsimulating, including collision interference.

Reinforcing fibers are oriented in specific directionsin the resin prepreg to deliver maximum strengthonly in the direction that is needed. A prepreg refersto fiber matrices already infused with resin.

Tools presented a bigger problem because of their

size (as large as the airplane) and the evolution ofthe technology. Previously, composite tools hadprimarily been provided for boatbuilding, which is nota mass production industry.
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The technology area still playing out is tooling,says Miller. Left to its own devices, compositetooling can be fairly elegant orif youre not paying

attention to itit can be very clumsy and heavy We had to meet with our technology partners upfront to make sure the technology was matureenough to meet our production schedules.

The gold standard in materials of construction forlarge composites tools has been an iron-nickel alloy

calledInvar, which is well-suited because of itscontrolled coefficient of thermal expansion(CTE).One problem with Invar is it does not lend itself wellto lean manufacturing systems that have been amajor goal at Boeing for several years. The mainalternative is soft tooling, which is also made fromcomposite materials. Aluminum is a mismatchbecause of its CTE. Soft tooling developed a badreputation because of problems with theB2 stealthbomberprogram.

The tooling technology for the Dreamliner isextremely proprietary, but a few details have leakedabout a company calledJanicki Industries of

Seedro-Wooley, WA. Janicki, a long-time yachtbuilder, has developed new soft tooling for theDreamliner that has been a success except for
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onewell-publicized mishap, when an error in a resinformulation led to leaking and a damaged mandrel.

The innovation is not just in the materials, but inhow they build the tooling, says Miller. Janicki, forexample, custom built three 5-axis CNC mills thathave envelope sizes as large as 88 x 19 x 8 ft andaccuracies to 003 inches.

More Than Just Weight

Composites are worth the effort and are clearly on afast track in the aircraft industry. The advantages gobeyond weight savings. Were seeing increasinglypractical ways to integrate functions into a singlesystem, says Miller. Your structural system canalso be a part of your acoustic damping system. It

can also be a part of your thermal transfer systemand your electrical system. The use of compositeswill grow because its not just about the structureany more.

Thats not all. The superior strength of the compositefuselage will allow higher pressurization in thepassenger cabin, making it easier to controltemperature, humidity and ventilation. Compositematerials are also more durable than aluminum,because of corrosion and fatigue benefits, as well asa dramatic reduction in fasteners. The structure of
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the 787 is essentially one giant macromoleculeeverything is fastened through cross-linked chemicalbonds reinforced with carbon fiber. Early on, we

made a decision to do a one-piece barrel, saysMiller. We dont have lap joints because we wrapthem.

The benefits of composites grow as Boeingengineers gain more experience.

We discovered how to make better window frames,and when we did we changed the load transfercharacteristics of the fuselage in that area, saysMiller. That allowed us to go back to the one-piecebarrel and take more weight out of that part of thedesign. We ended up saving three times what wewere on the original design.

Another benefit comes from extended lamellar flow(1.5 cubits) at the point where metal meets plastic:integration of the inlet of the Nacelle (enginehousing) with the structure of the Nacelle. Boeingestimates the savings at 20,000 gal of fuel/yearjust for that design enhancement.

There is a giant coalescence of manufacturingtechnology, materials technology and forming thatmight actually allow us to make another jump inaerodynamic performance, says Miller.


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What are the Downsides to Composites?

They dont corrode, but they do undergo

a photooxidationprocess. As a result thecomposites must be painted. And therein liesanother Dreamliner technology story. Weve comeup with an intermediate barrier coating, says Miller.Our customers can strip or change the colors of thepaint without having to go all the way down to thecomposite. That means they dont have to sand.

Another issue isnt so much a downside as it is adifference. Composite structures require you toapproach thermal and electrical managementdifferently from aluminum, which has intrinsicallyhigher electrical and thermal conductivity. How youmove current from shorts, for example, is not

something you have to think as much about in analuminum structure. Were a lot smarter about howwe attack these issues than we were three yearsago, says Miller.

Who owns all of the technology developed for theDreamliner, considering the huge global supply

chain involved? It depends on who pays for it, saysMiller. If we paid for it, we probably own it and wemay share it within the program. If a supplier iscontributing its own intellectual property, then thetechnology probably would be owned by the
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supplier. All of the major partners have their ownextensive R&D programs, and obviously want to beable to leverage some of their know-how with other

aircraft building programs.

Thats one reason why Boeing is very secretiveabout specific technology partners, such as toolmakers. Any release of information by suppliers tomedia is carefully controlled by Boeing, as well.

Beyond CompositesThere are also breakthroughs in titanium, aluminum,cool plastics

Composites arent the only materials news in the

787 Dreamliner. While composites represent 50percent by weight (80 percent by volume) of theDreamliner structure, other materials representedare aluminum, 20 percent; titanium, 15 percent;steel, 10 percent and 5 percent, other. Most notableamong the other is the first-time widespread use inaircraft structures of plastic heat sinks. Thats right

plastic heat sinks.

Plastics that are highly loaded with heat-removingmaterials such as carbon or ceramics have been


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around for a while, but have not yet penetrated theaircraft market. Their great advantage is their abilityto be molded into net shapes. The economics for

plastics can be favorable depending on total toolingand finishing costs. They can be designed withadditional surface areas as fins and ribs to improveconvective heat transfer.

Costs and properties can be balanced depending onwhich engineering thermoplastics are used. Forexample, nylon can improve economics while liquidcrystal polymer can improve properties. They aretypically loaded 30 to 40 percent with thermallyconductive materials.

Suppliers of thermally conductive thermoplastics

includeLNP Engineering Plastics (GEPlastics),RTP,Cool Plastics andDuPont. On thethermoset side, suppliers includeEpoxies, Etc.

Their thermal properties and other nonmetallicproperties are really causing us to think differentlyabout how we remove heat from airplanes, says Dr.

Alan G. Miller, director of technology integration onthe Dreamliner.

Other new materials highlights on the ground-breaking aircraft are:
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Titanium. The Dreamliner is the first big user of anew advanced alloy titanium in the aircraft industry.

You can really increase strength and get really hightoughness, says Miller. The new grade,designated 5553(Ti-5Al-5V-5Mo-3Cr), supersedesanother high-strength alloy, 1023 (Ti-10V-2Fe-3Al).Miller says Boeing is doing a lot of workcollaboratively with the Russian titanium industry.According to theMoscow Times, Boeing iscommitted to purchase $18 billion of Russiantitanium over 30 years. Last AugustBoeingannounceda 50/50 joint venture with VSMPO-AVISMA to produce rough machined titaniumforgings for the Dreamliner. Of course, politics areinvolved. Boeing wants to win more business in

Russia and Russia would like Boeing to invest in itsaircraft industry. Typically, titanium has been used inengine applications for rotors, compressor blades,hydraulic system components and nacelles. Boeingwill also use Alcoas high-pressure titaniumhydraulicadapters, which are said to provide up to a 49percent weight savings over the previous design for

this application. Each aircraft is expected to usemore than 120 of these parts.

Aluminum. New technologies are emerging forextrusions in plates in aluminum-lithium alloys that
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intrigue Boeings Miller. Its well known thataluminum-lithium alloys have lower density, goodand often higher strength than conventional

aluminum alloys, and provide higher modulus, andtherefore, enable weight savings. The trick is thatyou have to be very cautious in design so that youare using them in a way that make economic sense,comments Miller. This is not a technology push; itsa business proposition. It has to buy its way on tothe aircraft.

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