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A+ Glide Forming: Composite Manufacturing Technology

In the race to develop lighter and more aerodynamic aircraft, aerostructures are becoming more and more varied in shape and size, with more curvature and complexity in their geometries. This calls for an increasing number of highly contoured stringers to reinforce these structures, and an efficient manufacturing process to produce them at the quality levels demanded by such a competitive ecosystem. A+ Glide Forming responds to this need.
 

A+ Glide Forming: Ready for your facilities

While each type of stringer would have previously had its own manufacturing process, in A+ Glide Forming you have a single machine to manufacture every one of these structural reinforcements.

A highly productive, automated process that you can run simultaneously with your other operations, A+ Glide Forming produces top-quality carbon fibre stringers in all the shapes and sizes required, and it is ready to be incorporated into your facilities.


Easily adaptable to each and every structural reinforcement

The technology adapts seamlessly to different kinds of stringers, whether they’re for fuselage panels, wings, nacelles, or the kind of structures found on the eVTOL aircraft of the UAM world.

 

A+ Glide Forming is a modular system with which you can easily change the length and shape of the stringer you want to produce, with consistent quality regardless of the complexity of its geometry.

Not only does it allow you unprecedented flexibility in terms of stringer shape and size, but it is also adaptable to various types of carbon fibres too, including thermosets, dry fibres and thermoplastics (for which there is no need for post curing).


Efficient production of superior quality stringers

Aside from the benefits it offers in terms of flexibility for design, A+ Glide Forming produces curved structural reinforcements of unprecedented quality, whether for Ω, T or U cross-sections. The system requires less energy consumption, wastes less material as scrap, and is a cheaper process than its alternatives thanks to its automation and high productivity.

 

 Comparison of Forming Technologies

A+ Glide Forming Benefits

Better Quality

  • No wrinkles

High Flexibility

  • One single machine for all the different stringers: Ω, T, U
  • Only a new male tool is needed to manufacture an additional stringer

Cost Saving

  • OPEX: highly automated, low labour cost
  • CAPEX: only one machine, very simple tools

Environmentally friendly

  • Local heating: uses much less energy than alternative technologies
  • Wastes less material as scrap

 

Ensure effectivity with your processes before you commit

If you have any doubts about how the technology will work with your project, we will be happy to welcome you at our Barcelona HQ for Proof of Concept trials. This way, you can be 100% sure the machine will work with the kind of materials and shapes you require. 

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