BALU: Largest autoclave research facility in the world

Authors

  • Hakan Ucan German Aerospace Center
  • Felix Kruse German Aerospace Center
  • Martin Wiedemann German Aerospace Center

DOI:

https://doi.org/10.17815/jlsrf-2-94

Abstract

Among the large-scale facilities operated at the Center for Lightweight-Production-Technology of the German Aerospace Center in Stade BALU is the world's largest research autoclave. With a loading length of 20m and a loading diameter of 5.8 m the main objective of the facility is the optimization of the curing process operated by components made of carbon fiber on an industrial scale. For this reason, a novel dynamic autoclaving control has been developed that is characterized by peripheral devices to expend the performance of the facility for differential applications, by sensing systems to detect the component state throughout the curing process and by a feedback system, which is capable to intervene into the running autoclave process.

Author Biographies

Hakan Ucan, German Aerospace Center

Institute for Composite Structures and Adaptive Systems, Department for Composite Process Technology

Felix Kruse, German Aerospace Center

Institute for Composite Structures and Adaptive Systems, Department for Composite Process Technology

Martin Wiedemann, German Aerospace Center

Institute for Composite Structures and Adaptive Systems

References

Hindersmann, A., Ucan, H., Bäns, C., Müller, M., & Kruse, F. (2014). Innovative infusion method for out-of-autoclave and autoclave processes. Frankfurt, Germany. (Airtech 2014, 28. - 30. Oct. 2014)

Krombholz, C., & Bölke, J. (2013). Faserverbundgerechte Großbauteile und Online-Qualitätssicherung im Autoklaven (GrOnQA) (Tech. Rep.). Deutsches Zentrum für Luft- und Raumfahrt e.V.

Krombholz, C., & Ucan, H. (2015). GrOnQA - Effiziente und qualitätsgesicherte Produktionsverfahren für komplexe CFK-Bauteile. Retrieved from http://www.dlr.de/fa/desktopdefault.aspx/tabid-10602/18981_read-44261/

Liebers, N., Ucan, H., Kühn, M., Kleineberg, M., & Meyer, M. (2011). Masterbox: new concept for a dynamic autoclave process control. CEAS Aeronautical Journal, 2(1), 223–230. http://dx.doi.org/10.1007/s13272-011-0018-4

Ucan, H., Akin, D., Tripmaker, A., & Reichert, S. (2015). Einsatzmöglichkeiten von Thermographiemessungen im Autoklaven zur qualitätsgesicherten Fertigung von CFK-Bauteilen. Rostock, Germany. (Deutscher Luft- und Raumfahrt Kongress, 22. - 24. Sept. 2015)

Ucan, H., Liebers, N., Kleineberg, M.,&Wiedemann, M. (2012). Sensor and real-time-process-simulation guided autoclave process control for composite production. In ICAS Conference 2012. Brisbane, Australia. (24. - 28. Sept. 2012)


Cite article as: Deutsches Zentrum für Luft- und Raumfahrt e.V. et al. (2016). BALU: Largest autoclave research facility in the world. Journal of large-scale research facilities, 2, A57. http://dx.doi.org/10.17815/jlsrf-2-94

Published

2016-03-14

Issue

Section

Articles

URN