“Integrate functions to your coatings & robustness for your bondings”
Surface treatment and assembly technologies are important drivers for industrial performance and competitiveness. They are major optimization contributors as they represent a significant proportion of aeronautics and space product and system total costs.
Reduction of manufacturing costs and product maintenance while adapting processes to new legislation, particulary environmental regulations, are mandatory to meet these goals. The objectives of weight reduction, multifunctionality or the improvement of durability put surface treatment and assembly technologies at the heart of today’s R&T.
The competence center designs, develops and operates up to a semi-industrial scale. Understanding the impact of process parameters is supported by using modeling tools. The technologies developed at IRT Saint Exupéry are thus transferable and adaptable to the specific needs of the aeronautics and space industries.
The applications targeted are mainly structural parts or sub-assemblies of aeronautics systems as well as launchers and satellites.
The competence center favors the development of stronger skills for technicians, engineers and PhDs. It also trains PhD students for careers opportunities in surface treatment and assemblies with a strong emphasis on the automation of processes.
R&T Fields
The different technological approaches studied are:
- The automation of the surface preparation by plasma activation before coating.
- The development of new automatic processes for application and curing of polymer paints and decorative inks.
- The technological maturation of contactless printing processes to be able to print electrical cables on the structure of the aircraft or on the lining panels of the cabin.
- The development of automated technologies for printing sensors on structures.
- Assemblies of metal / composite parts by Hyperjoints
- Bolted composite / composite joint or metal / composite joint fitted with expandable fasteners
- Surface preparation of metallic materials before adhesion bonding by IR laser
- Surface preparation of composite materials before adhesion bonding by UV laser or atmospheric plasma
- Non-destructive surface Inspection Technologies (detection and measurement of the pollution level)
The synthesis and the characterization of leadless soldering pastes with improved thermo-mechanical properties are also studied.
OUR OFFER
- Know-how and technical answers for the preparation of surfaces, formulations, assemblies (welding, soldering, hyper joints, expandable fasteners).
- State-of-the-art, technical synthesis.
- Specific technological platforms.
- 1:1 or reduced scale demonstrators.
- Methodological guides and tools for statistical processing of data.
- Mechanical modeling (MEF) of load transfer in assemblies.
- Specifications and studies to produce semi-industrial scale benches.
- Appraisal reports on technologies (parametric studies and ageing).
- Training.
- Contribution to technology readiness level.
Videos
News
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07/12/2020
[Portrait 14] Jonathan Hugues, research engineer specialized in metal additive manufacturing
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22/10/2020
A look back at one of the activities of the IRT’s composites division: thermoplastic composites.
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26/06/2020
Draw me a project : Pierre-André Baudart, Technical Director @ ArianeGroup
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21/02/2020
[Portrait 10] Karine Labastie, technical advisor on impregnation processes for high-performance multifunctional composite materials
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21/10/2019
[PRESS] AddimAlliance wants to convert manufacturers to 3D metal printing with 6 platforms including the additive manufacturing platform of the IRT Saint Exupéry
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26/09/2019
[Portrait 06] Ludovic Barrière, aeronautical research engineer specializing in structures, computational mechanics and numerical methods
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24/06/2019
[PRESSE SIAE2019] Additive manufacturing MAMA Project: the future of aeronautics is at stake in Pamiers
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13/06/2019
Marion Broutelle defended her thesis on composite materials with ceramic oxide/oxide matrix