Test Program To Develop And Extend Technological Maturity Of A Weight-Optimized Single-Piece Composite Drive Shaft For Tail Drive Line Application

Abstract

The submitted paper aims to present the test campaign implemented to assess the development of a single-piece composite drive shaft. This part is a component of a mechanical drive line using innovative composite drive shafts with integrated composite flanges for tail drive line helicopter. This work is part of the RECOMPOSE (aRbrE COMPOSitE) project funded by the European Union NextGeneration EU, the DGAC (French Civil Aviation Authority) and supported by CORAC (Civil Aviation Research Council), from July 2021 to July 2025, and with Airbus Helicopters as sponsor. The overall goal aims to increase the competitiveness of helicopters while reducing their CO2 emissions, and the project team was made up of Nexteam group (tier 1 aerospace and defense supplier and manufacturer - France), CT Ingénierie (innovation and engineering services - France) and Arts et Métiers through their research valorization department AMVALOR (University - France). The tests performed have been useful to gain knowledge about the mechanical and dynamical behavior of the composite shaft and enlighten about the strength of the composite flange.