The HiCAM project addresses an aviation industry need for more rapid production of composite aircraft to meet increasing global demand for lightweight transport aircraft.
As part of the Sustainable Flight National Partnership, HiCAM partners with industry to increase the rate of composite aircraft manufacturing, reduce costs, and improve performance. Low-cost, high-rate production enables widespread use of composite materials, which reduces aircraft weight and allows designers to consider new types of vehicles.
When the demand for new aircraft to replace older, heavier transports can be met with lightweight, composite vehicles that reduce fuel consumption and carbon emissions, HiCAM can make a difference in the economy and the environment.
For composite airframe manufacturers to use new high-rate production systems, solutions must maintain the lightweight benefit and not increase cost to meet production rate goals. Rather, industry partners predict that significant cost reduction is needed to compete internationally.
HiCAM plans to mature affordable, high-rate composite manufacturing technologies that reduce costs for labor, equipment, and tooling, as well as develop model-based engineering tools for high-rate manufacturing concepts.
