A350 XWB cable routing – from design to component in two weeks

The moment when a completely new commercial aircraft takes to the skies for the first time is always special – and this was especially true of the Airbus A350 XWB. As a child of the new millennium, it was clear from the very beginning that development work would focus on innovative materials and production processes – the goal was no less than to build the world's most efficient aircraft. As a technology of the future, additive manufacturing was another possibility that needed to be considered during development. As part of a pilot project, experts from Sogeti High Tech succeeded in developing a cable mount on the front spar of the vertical stabilizer for the passenger aircraft in record time, taking only two weeks from the initial sketch to the finished part. EOS technology and expertise was a pivotal aspect of this development process.

Challenge

The project specifically involved producing a cable routing mount for the latest Airbus model. The mount was ultimately needed for the power supply and data transportation of a camera located in the vertical stabilizer, providing a view of the outside to passengers and orientation on the ground to the pilots. The product requirements document called for a functionally operational component suitable for series production. This task was entrusted to Sogeti High Tech, a wholly-owned subsidiary of Cap Gemini S.A., which is listed on the Paris stock exchange.

The particular challenge, in this case, was the short lead time of just two weeks. The entire development had to be completed within this time frame: From the analysis of the part and of the current installation set-up, a parameter study aimed at optimizing the topology and its interpretation, and the design and production of the finished part. The mount also needed to have a few support structures as possible to avoid post-processing. In addition, the specifications for the component called for the integration of the snap-on cable holder, weight reduction, and compliance with the strict requirements for subsequent aviation industry certification.

The conventionally produced component was made up of formed sheet metal parts and numerous rivets – more than 30 individual parts in total. The plug connectors in the upper area were made from plastic, and thus from a different material than the other individual parts of the mount. The aim was to develop an integrated solution consisting of a single part that also included the plug connectors, thereby significantly reducing construction and installation times. The weight reduction target for additive manufacturing was determined by a parameter study based on topology optimization.

Solution

For the new component, Sogeti High Tech followed the tried-and-tested development process for designing additively manufactured parts. The project kicked off with an analysis of the existing, conventionally produced component in terms of the upcoming manufacturing process – with an extremely positive outcome. The component's functionality, material, and previously complex structure made it an ideal candidate for powder-bed-based 3D printing technology from EOS. The design freedom offered by this technology allows complex structures to be produced in a single piece, meaning that a weight-saving design can be selected without neglecting functional integration.

This analysis then allowed the so-called design space – the space that the cable-routing mount may occupy – to be defined. The aluminum alloy AlSi10Mg, which is ideal for thin-walled, complex structures, was chosen as the material. The interfaces to the external areas remained the same, forming the non-design space, meaning that no changes needed to be made to them. The defined loads were taken as the boundary conditions for topology optimization in the parameter study, providing the basis for a new design.

As is customary, CAE software was used for the topology optimization calculations; in, by contrast, a dedicated solution for designing structures with free-form surfaces was used for the re-design. Sogeti High Tech created the design itself. In order to meet the lead time of two weeks, EOS calculated the build time and optimized parameters from the topology optimization results using the software EOSPRINT. This created the CAE implementation for the manufactured part while also taking into account the possibilities and limitations of the manufacturing process and the need to avoid support structures. “In addition to outstanding hardware, EOS also offers comprehensive expertise in making additively manufactured components reality – something that we rate very highly," says Carlos Ribeiro Simoes, Additive Manufacturing Offering Leader at Sogeti High Tech.

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