Aircraft-system wings are made from composite materials (polymers with pre-impregnated fibers), where their movement can be explained by the presence of shape memory alloy (SMA) actuators, contributing to their excellent performance (Figure 1). The present study aimed to highlight the effect of composite anisotropy on the efficiency of the actuators.
Figure 1.
Aircraft system before and after SMA actuator effect [1].
To guarantee the best success of the actuator in the movement of aircraft wings, the mechanical properties of the selected composite were evaluated, keeping in mind the best orientation of the moving part. Then, the mechanical behavior of the composite material was evaluated by three-point bending, defining the forces necessary to move the composite matrix function of the orientation of the impregnated fibers.
A prototype was designed and developed to carry out the tests that established the relationship between the elastic deformation of the composite suitable for the application.
Author Contributions
Conceptualization, M.T.V.; methodology, M.T.V.; validation, R.B., M.T.V., P.F.R., H.C. and A.M.; formal analysis, R.B. and H.C.; investigation, R.B., P.F.R., M.T.V. and A.M.; writing—original draft preparation, R.B., M.T.V., P.F.R., H.C. and A.M.; writing—review and editing, R.B., M.T.V., P.F.R., H.C. and A.M.; supervision, M.T.V., H.C. and A.M.; project administration, M.T.V., H.C. and A.M. All authors have read and agreed to the published version of the manuscript.
Funding
This work was financially supported by national funds (PIDDAC) through FCT/MCTES, and Project POCI-01-0247-FEDER-033758 funded by Agência Nacional de Inovação, S.A. PT2020-SII&DT—Copromoção. This research was also supported by FEDER funds through the program COMPETE–Programa Operacional Factores de Competitividade, and by national funds through FCT–Fundação para a Ciência e a Tecnologia, under the project UIDB/EMS/00285/2020.
Institutional Review Board Statement
Not applicable.
Informed Consent Statement
Not applicable.
Data Availability Statement
Not applicable.
Conflicts of Interest
The authors declare no conflict of interest.
Reference
- 4D Composites—Moldação Inteligente de Componentes 4D Baseados em Ligas Com Memória de Forma Embebidas em Carbono Pré-Impregnado Com Termoplástico. POCI-01-0247-FEDER-033758. 2022. Available online: https://www.uc.pt/administracao/dpa/investigacao/proj_cof/4dcomposites (accessed on 10 May 2022).
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