Carbon fiber fuselage with 8m seams can be CO2 laser welded
European researchers say they have successfully welded two halves of an 8-meter-long fuselage made of carbon-reinforced fibers with a CO2 laser. This means that ultralight passenger aircraft can be manufactured using this method. The demonstration, completed by a large international consortium led by Airbus and comprising several Fraunhofer institutes, provides proof of concept for the chipless connection of carbon fiber-reinforced thermoplastic (CFRTP) component structures with a CO2 laser. Dynamic Beam Shaping Working under the Multifunctional Fuselage Demonstrator (MFFD) project, which is part of the EU's wider Clean Skies 2 research program, the team at the Fraunhofer Institute for Materials and Beam Technology (IWS) in Dresden says the novel construction method and process will significantly reduce weight, material and time. The novel construction method and process will significantly reduce weight, material, and time. They used a CO2 source to weld long seams ...