A rigid-flexible coupled unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV) morphing wing and an additive manufacturing method thereof are disclosed. A shape memory alloy (SMA) strip/wire for controlling the wing upward deformation and an SMA strip/wire for controlling the wing downward deformation are arranged alternately, and a plurality of reinforcing ribs are arranged at intervals on the SMA strips/wires for controlling the wing upward deformation and the SMA strips/wires for controlling the wing downward deformation. The SMA strips/wires for controlling the wing upward deformation and the SMA strips/wires for controlling the wing downward deformation are arranged on a flexible substrate, and are wrapped with an insulating covering. The SMA strips/wires for controlling the wing upward deformation and the SMA strips/wires for controlling the wing downward deformation each are provided with an electric heating element.

A method for connecting two components. In this method, a first component and a second component, which are each formed from a thermoplastic material, are first provided. The first component has a first peel-off ply on a first surface of the first component. The first peel-off ply is removed from the first component. Once the first peel-off ply has been removed, the first surface of the first component is brought into contact with a second surface of the second component. The first component and the second component are then welded to one another at the first and second surface by ultrasonic welding.

In one aspect, there is a composite skin for a tiltrotor aircraft including a first skin having a periphery defined by a forward edge, an aft edge, and outboard ends; a second skin; and a honeycomb core disposed between the first skin and the second skin, the honeycomb core comprised of a plurality of honeycomb panels positioned along the longitudinal axis of the first skin, the plurality of honeycomb panels having an array of large cells, each cell having a width of at least 1 cm; wherein the second skin and the honeycomb core have an outer perimeter within the periphery of the first skin.

Described herein are methods of forming uncured sealant assemblies and also methods of forming seals between various parts using such assemblies. In some examples, an uncured sealant assembly comprises two protective layers and an uncured sealant layer, disposed in between. The uncured sealant assembly is stored and provided at a cure-inhibiting temperature, selected to minimize the curing rate of the uncured sealant layer. The size and the shape of the uncured sealant layer are specifically selected to ensure the complete coverage of the faying surfaces, filling of all gaps and voids between the faying surfaces, and controlling the shape and size of uncured sealant squeeze out between the faying surfaces. In some examples, the size and shape of the uncured sealant layer maybe be specifically selected to have no uncured sealant squeeze out between parts.

Aircraft that incorporates a rounded-hat composite stringer connected to an inner side of the skin of the aircraft to form an elongate conduit that defines a conduit axis, where the conduit axis includes at least one curving portion. The rounded-hat composite stringer can be manufactured by constructing a lower forming die and an upper forming die, each forming die having a length and defining a curve along at least a portion of the length of the die, cutting a pre-cured flat composite charge dimensioned to form the rounded-hat composite stringer, pressing the flat composite charge between the lower and upper forming dies to shape the composite charge into a pre-formed stringer having an inner side between curved fillet portions, contacting a forming member against the inner side of the pre-formed stringer, applying radius fillers to the curved fillet portions of the pre-formed stringer, curing the pre-formed stringer, and removing the forming member from the cured stringer.

A method for manufacturing a centre wing box which includes inner stiffeners, at least one of which has at least one through-hole is described. For each stiffener having at least one through-hole and having a first leg of a first U-shaped and C-shaped profile and a second leg of a second U-shaped and C-shaped profile, the method includes, for each through-hole, the steps of producing a first section of the through-hole in the first U-shaped or C-shaped profile and of producing a second section of the through-hole in the second U-shaped or C-shaped profile before the first and second U-shaped or C-shaped profiles are positioned on the mould.

Systems and methods are provided for processing composite parts. One embodiment is a method for preparing a composite part for assembly. The method includes receiving a mandrel to which a composite part has been molded, and operating a work station to install an indexing feature into a manufacturing excess of the composite part.

A method for manufacturing the trailing edge ribs and the bearing ribs of trailing edges of aircraft lifting surfaces, in which the trailing edge ribs and the bearing ribs are made by joining simple C-shaped parts and/or simple L-shaped parts so as to obtain the final trailing edge ribs and bearing ribs. The manufacturing of the simple C-shaped parts uses the same tooling both for the trailing edge ribs and the bearing ribs, and the manufacturing of the simple L-shaped parts uses the same tooling both for the trailing edge ribs and the bearing ribs.

A wing assembly include at least one fuel tank having a tank outboard end. In addition, the wing assembly includes a stout wing rib located proximate the tank outboard end and extending between a front spar and a rear spar. The wing assembly also includes at least one outboard wing rib located outboard of the stout wing rib and defining an outboard wing bay. The wing assembly also includes an upper skin panel and a lower skin panel each coupled to the front spar, the rear spar, the stout wing rib, and the outboard wing rib. A plurality of bead stiffeners are coupled to the upper skin panel and/or the lower skin panel and are spaced apart from each other within the outboard wing bay.

A composite component (16) for a vehicle (10) includes a laminate (18) made from a composite material, a first pad-up area (22) applied to the laminate (18), where the first pad-up area (22) includes a plurality of first tows laid next to one another in a side-by-side arrangement and where the first pad-up area (22) defines a first fiber orientation, and a second pad-up area (24), where the second pad-up area (24) includes a plurality of second tows laid next to one another in a side-by-side arrangement and where the second pad-up area (24) defines a second fiber orientation that differs by a predetermined angle from the first fiber orientation. The first pad-up area (22) and the second pad-up area (22) intersect at an intersecting area and together form a first pad-up ply on the laminate (18).