AIRBUS will optimize parts production for the A380 at its plant in Getafe

The production cycles of the AIRBUS A380 “Bearing Ribs”, the largest commercial aircraft in the world, will be optimized by an ADEX system.

ADEX will be implemented in a hot plate machine used for fabricating the parts. This machine comprises flat surfaces or plates provided with resistance heaters which are in contact with the upper and lower parts of a mould throughout the curing process. The mould holds the resin to which heat is transferred. The temperature of the resin must be held close to the set point during the whole curing process so that the part obtains the necessary mechanical and structural properties.

The complex dynamic of the curing process and the problems associated with its control are well known. Due to the highly exothermic nature of the curing process, if the mould containing the resin is heated too quickly, this can result in defective parts.

At the same time, if the heating is too slow, it can result in much higher fabrication time which makes the process inefficient, reducing production rates. When ADEX optimised adaptive control is applied to this type of processes, the result is consistent quality to all the parts, maximum production and reduced energy costs.