NEWS AND EVENTS

Future Tech Week 21-25 Sep 2020

Abstract: Aerospace industries are obliged, from European Aviation Safety Agency (EASA) and Federal Administration Aviation (FAA), to inspect all aircraft components for possible defects/flaws, before and during their service life using reliable and efficient Non Destructive Testing (NDT) techniques. Aircraft maintenance expenditure usually represents 20% of the overall operating cost and inefficient and ineffective inspection procedures can destroy the ability to plan, schedule and reduce labor productivity by 50% or more. The result of an undetected flaw due to inefficient inspection or improper repair may lead to its catastrophic failure and eventually to life and aircraft loss.

To address this need, CompInnova is focused upon the development of an innovative inspection methodology, with automated and manual capabilities, for any type of composite and metallic aircraft structures. The novel structural integrity approach is comprised by qualified Phased Array (PA) and Infrared Thermography (IRT) methods attached on multiple vortex-actuated climbing robots, a Damage Tolerance (DT) structural integrity assessment technique processed on a computer and an innovative laser repair system.

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New partner joined the CompInnova consortium:
Optimal – Structural Solutions

With one of the partners leaving the consortium, it was created the opportunity to have a new partner joining the consortium. Optimal – Structural Solution will bring additional competences to the consortium, mainly regarding composite structures for aircrafts. Optimal is a Portuguese SME, based in Cascais, focused on the development and manufacturing of advanced composite structures. Being an SME, Optimal will also bring a more industrial perspective to the project as well as the expertise to better assess the project’s future potential from and industrial and economical point of view.

Optimal will mainly participate in the integration work package and will have a very active role in the final testing and solution assessment and validation.

Aircraft-inspecting suction robot successfully trialled

A prototype robot that uses intense suction to climb around the outside of aircraft and inspect them for damage has successfully been trialled at Cranfield University.

The four-wheeled Vortex Robot, developed as part of the CompInnova project, by the Swedish partner from Luleå University of Technology, was tested in field trials using Cranfield’s Boeing 737 and was able to stick to and move around the sides and underbelly of the plane.

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Project Review Meeting – 2^nd period

The 2^nd period project review meeting was held on Patras, Greece on the 24^th of January 2019. At the meeting, the latest developments and achievements for the project were presented, both in the reported results but also through an experimental demonstration on-site. The good progress of the project was highlighted and well received by all. The first feedback from the reviewers and from the Project Officer was very positive and the support for the project was unambiguous.

Great challenges are now ahead as the project moves into the difficult and even more collaborative phase of “integration”, where a full demonstration of the CompInnova solution is to be achieved.

The partners have presented and discuss the latest developments in the CompInnova project. The results of the experiments of the Phased Array and IRT techniques were presented and the software for the defect recognition. The outcome shows that the project has reached the maturity to start integrating the different results and techniques into the vortex robot. In addition the consortium has decided to move forward for a joint publication which reflects the excellent collaboration between the partners.

Consortium Meeting at University of Patras

University of Ioannina had presence in the SPIE Smart Structures/NDE 2016 which took place between 20 to 24 of March 2016 in Las Vegas USA, where the CompInnova brochure was handing out.

A network of Industries is gradually being established to ensure a wide spread of results outside of the Consortium. LinkedIn is the basic tool of this attempt. The D&E manager in cooperation with the rest of Consortium created the official LinkedIn page of the CompInnova project. It is continuously updated and maintained in a weekly basis providing the latest news and technical outputs of the project. Exceptional mention was highlighted regarding the contribution of the European Union in the functionality and financing of the project. Each partner will actively engage their networks and contacts as part of these exploitation activities.

Compinnova LinkedIn

30 March 2016

The main purpose of the meeting was an overview of the project activities with technical presentations from all work packages. Emphasis was given to the ongoing Work package 2 and upcoming deliverables related to WP2. Several important topics were presented by the partners which resulted in fruitful discussions and agreements on the future activities.

8-10 March 2016

The Applied Mechanics Laboratory of the University of Patras (AML / UoP) was one of the exhibitors in JEC World 2016. The laboratory works in the field of materials and structures, including science, technology and applications of composite materials. Led by academics, highly trained engineers and PhD students, it offers a wide range of services in the composite materials sector. CompInnova was one of the projects that was presented at the laboratory’s stand area and a poster was designed for this reason. CompInnova’s tasks such as manufacturing, testing and repair of composite structures were presented and the collaboration with international known partners was highlighted. These gave us the chance to introduce CompInnova project to global market innovative solutions and tools and attract the interest of the exhibition visitors.

13 November 2015

The emphasis of the kickoff meeting was on introductory presentations by the project partners and overview of project activities and deliverables, exploitation, dissemination and financial activities. The project officer, who also attended the meeting, presented her views on several important topics.