Project Partners

Cranfield’s work within ADVITAC is carried out within the Composites Centre and the Engineering Photonics group. The Composites Centre comprises 20 researchers involved in a wide range of activities on composites manufacturing, 3D reinforced composites, process simulation and monitoring and thermosetting nanocomposites. The Engineering Photonics Group has a broad research portfolio, encompassing fibre optic sensors, optical flow measurement instrumentation, speckle interferometry and medical imaging.

Members of the Cranfield ADVITAC team:

• Mr Andrea Battisti (Composites)
• Dr Denis Cartie (Composites)
• Dr Edmon Chehura (Photonics)
• Dr Stephen James (Photonics)
• Professor Ivana Partridge (Composites)
• Dr Alex Skordos (Composites)
• Professor Ralph Tatam (Photonics)

Technical involvement within the project

Cranfield’s contribution to the project is threefold:

• Incorporation of carbon nanoparticles into fibrous composites to enhance the electrical behaviour and offer additional functionality to subcomponents of the tailcone.
• Use of optical fibre based technologies for process and health monitoring of the tailcone.
• Development and implementation of concepts for through thickness reinforced of selected areas of the structure.

Previous Experience relevant to these tasks

• PRECARBI, FP6-AEROSPACE:

  Materials, Process and CAE Tools Developments for Preimpregnated Carbon Binder Yarn Preform Composites.

• ITOOL, FP6-AEROSPACE:

  Integrated tool for simulation of textile composites.