Tooling for large, light composite parts

Aerospace engineers use carbon-fiber composites to create larger, unified parts to replace many smaller parts fastened together. As composite parts get larger, tooling to make them is evolving.

“One of the great advantages of composites is making large, unitized, goofy shapes [for parts]-shapes you cannot do in metals,” explained Martin McLaughlin, Director of Space Structures for Northrop Grumman Aerospace Systems.

Large, unitized parts made of carbon fiber-reinforced plastic (CFRP) save mass, cost, and manufacturing time. Expect parts to get bigger. “We keep looking for the point of diminishing returns for unitized parts, and we have not found it yet,” he said.