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Composite Manufacturing Cost Model Targeting on Design Optimization

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Abstract

As applications of composite material increasingly increase in the aviation sector, its manufacturing cost is now identified as a bottle neck, which limits the market competitiveness in terms of cost-performance efficiency. To estimate the manufacturing cost of composite structures at the early design stage, this research proposes a manufacturing cost model based on process simulation and represents the cost in the form of “Equivalent Working Hour” (EWH). The research also introduces the “Structural Complexity Element” (SCE) and “Hourly Rate Factor” (HRF) to ensure and improve the accuracy of the model. Then, the model is applied on a composite wing structure to calculate and analyze the manufacturing costs of two structure designs to be manufactured through manual lay-up, automated tape lay-up/fiber placement, autoclave or out-of-autoclave curing, mechanical assembly, and co-cure or adhesive bonding. The results verified the effectiveness of the model.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. School of Aeronautic Science and Engineering, Beijing University of Aeronautics and Astronautics, NO. 37 Xueyuan Road, Beijing, 100191, China

    Shize Chen, Daochun Li, Jinwu Xiang & Shiwei Zhao

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  1. Shize Chen
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  2. Daochun Li
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  3. Jinwu Xiang
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  4. Shiwei Zhao
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Correspondence to Shize Chen.

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Chen, S., Li, D., Xiang, J. et al. Composite Manufacturing Cost Model Targeting on Design Optimization. Appl Compos Mater 27, 673–691 (2020). https://doi.org/10.1007/s10443-020-09828-0

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