Demonstration of Weight Reduction by Tensile and Compression Test Using Large Composite Panel Designed with New Optimization Method - 20% Weight Reduction of Reinforcement Material for Opening Area -
Composite materials with high specific strength are greatly advantageous to use in terms of structural weight reduction and have been widely applied to aerospace products. However, there is still much room for further leveraging of the weight reduction potential of composite materials by improving the design method for part details. This time, Mitsubishi Heavy Industries, Ltd.(MHI) focused on the structure around the opening area, which can be expected to be lighter and executed trial production and strength testing of a open-holed skin stringer panel using our newly devised optimization method, which provided good results. Comparing the around-hole reinforcement weight with the conventional design method, it was found that a weight reduction effect of about 20% could be obtained.
