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H I G H - P E R F O R M A N C E C O M P O S I T E S
T
he Thermoplastic Affordable Primary Aircraft Struc-
ture (TAPAS) consortium was launched in The Neth-
erlands in 2009 with the goal of developing new ther-
moplastic composite materials and processes for use
in Airbus (Toulouse, France) aerostructures. The con-
sortium is starting its second phase of application and mate-
rial development, and its members hope, by 2017, to bring to
market a thermoplastic composite fuselage and torsion-box
concept that proves the viability of thermoplastics in com-
mercial aerostructures.
In addition to Airbus, the TAPAS consortium comprises a
number of composite material suppliers, composite parts
manufacturers and academic research institutions based in
The Netherlands. They include project lead Fokker Aerostruc-
tures (Hoogeveen), the Airborne Technology Center and Kok &
Van Engelen (both based in The Hague), Dutch Thermoplastic
Components (Alkmaar), Technobis Fibre Technologies (Uit-
geest), TenCate Advanced Composites (Nijverdal), KE-works,
CoDeT and Technische Universiteit Delft (all based in Delft),
the University of Twente (Enschede) and the National Aero-
space Laboratory, in Amsterdam.
Arnt Offringa, director R&D; at Fokker, says that under the
frst phase of the program, called TAPAS 1, the consortium
TAPAS 2: Next steps in
thermoplastic aerostructures
TAPAS 1 successes set stage for TAPAS 2
The TAPAS 1 12m/39-ft thermoplastic composite torsion box (top
photo), is shown during maximum load testing performed in July
2012. TAPAS 2 participants have been asked to take this structure
to technology readiness level (TRL) 6 by 2015. The photo immediately
above shows the TAPAS 1 thermoplastic composite fuselage skin
demonstrator and the engineers who built it. TAPAS 2 partners will
more closely evaluate minimum skin thickness requirements for it in
the hope of proving its viability for use in new commercial aircraft.
Source: Fokker Aerostructures
Source:
Fokker
Aerostructures
FEATURE / RESEARCH UPDATE
BY JEFF SLOAN
0714HPC UpdateTapas-OK.indd 34 6/17/2014 10:45:34 AM