Cost efficiency, integration and assembly of a generic composite aeronautical wing box

This paper presents a cost-efficiency study of part integration with respect to reduced assembly effort within aeronautical composite structures. The study is performed through the use, and continuous improvement upon, a previously developed cost model. Focus are on the assembly and basic inspection a wing box, part of a section of a full wing, where involved parts are all considered to be manufactured from carbon fibre reinforced plastic (CFRP). Treated cases range from traditional, mechanical joining, to high integration either through co-curing or co-bonding of composite structures. The outcome of presented cost study shows that increased integration decreases the overall production cost of said considered wing box. In general it is shown that co-curing or co-bonding reduces a number of cost-expensive assembly steps in comparison to mechanical joining.