Continuous Composites successfully completed its two-year contract with the U.S. Air Force Research Laboratory (AFRL) and Lockheed Martin as part of the Wing Structure Design for Manufacturing (WiSDM) project. The project aimed to reduce costs and lead times for Low-Cost Attritable Aircraft (LCAA) wing structures, using Continuous Composites’ patented Continuous Fiber 3D Printing (CF3D) technology to manufacture carbon fiber wing spars.
The printed carbon fiber spars exceeded expectations, with the wing assembly achieving 160% of the design limit load (DLL) without any damage to the spars. This performance demonstrated CF3D’s ability to meet aerospace-grade mechanical properties, offering significant cost and lead time reductions. The technology’s integration into aerospace manufacturing, alongside other innovative processes like long fiber injection molding and additively manufactured tooling, promises to revolutionize composite production in high-performance industries.
Tyler Alvarado, CEO of Continuous Composites, emphasized the potential of CF3D for reducing costs and providing design flexibility, while Lockheed Martin’s John Scarcello highlighted the technology’s future applications in both defense and commercial aerospace sectors. The success of this project positions CF3D as a key enabler for the next generation of aerospace manufacturing.
Read the entire article from Composites World here.
