TOSCA

TITLE OF THE PROJECT:

Manufacturing Processes and Digital Tools for More Sustainable Composite Aerostructures

GENERAL DATA:

Program: HORIZONTE EUROPE EU - LUMP SUM
Reference: 101191394
Date of RESOLUTION: 18/11/2024
Date of execution: 01/01/2025-31/12/2027

PRESENTATION AND OBJECTIVES:

The advantages of glass or carbon fiber composites in terms of increased fuel efficiency and mechanical performance are widely recognized in sectors such as aeronautics. However, there are still economic and technical barriers to their recycling that are revealing their importance as new aircraft, with a high percentage of these materials, are reaching the end of their useful life. In addition, their manufacturing processes have a high energy and time cost compared to the use of conventional materials.
The TOSCA project aims to develop a transformation chain of new vitrimeric epoxy resins, which have the mechanical performance of conventional thermosetting resins, but allow more efficient results in their recycling. This type of resin is already taking the first steps towards certification and associated efficient production processes need to be developed.
The TOSCA project will investigate the entire life cycle of the component, from laminate manufacturing through automated fiber placement (AFP), curing, reworking, maintenance and repair. This process chain will be supported by digital tools to acquire data through integrated inspection and through sensors for structural health monitoring in critical areas of the part.
All data generated during the process will be analyzed and used to iteratively improve production, with the goal of achieving a defect-free manufacturing process.
The consortium consists of research and industrial partners covering all steps of the life cycle. All research organizations are linked with industrial partners to ensure adequate acceptance of the results by industry after project completion. Around 2000 companies, including OEMs and Tier-1 suppliers in Europe, within the field of composite parts manufacturing (mainly structural parts) as well as machine building companies will benefit from the results. Interaction with Clean Aviation has taken place and will continue at TOSCA to ensure that developments are in line with the long-term roadmaps of the European aviation industry.

PARTICIPATING ENTITIES:

- PROFACTOR GMBH (Profactor
- FUNDACION CIDETEC (CIDETEC),
- GMI AERO (GMI),
- FUNDACION PARA LA INVESTIGACION, DESARROLLO Y APLICACION DE MATERIALES COMPUESTOS (FIDAMC)
- ASOCIACION DE INVESTIGACION METALURGACION METALURGICA DEL NOROESTE (AIMEN)
- INSTITUTO TECNOLOGICO DE ARAGON (ITA),
- EIRECOMPOSITES TEORANTA (EC),
- ADDCOMPOSITES OY (AddComp)

BUDGET:

TOTAL PROJECT BUDGET: 4,518,370.00 €
TOTAL ITA BUDGET: 544,500.00 €.

FINANCING:

TOTAL PROJECT GRANT: 4.518.370,00 €
TOTAL FUNDING ITA: 544.500 €.

"The TOSCA project No 101191394 Funded by the European Union. Views and opinions expressed are however those of the author(s) only and do not necessarily reflect those of the European Union or European Climate, Infrastructure and Environment Executive Agency (CINEA). Neither the European Union nor the granting authority can be held responsible for them."

The TOSCA project, whose reference is 101191394, has been 100% co-financed by the EU - Horizon Europe.

project website: https://www.tosca-project.eu/