Thomas Stefani

German Aerospace Center (DLR) | DLR

Applications based on artificial intelligence (AI) promise benefits, ranging from improved performance to increased capabilities in many industries. In the aviation domain, one example is the new Airborne Collision Avoidance System (ACAS X). The current investigation aims at combining ACAS X and AI to maintain its performance while decreasing the m...

The introduction of AI-based systems is one of the core elements in the course of digital transformation in aviation. Human factors expertise is needed to find user-centered approaches of human-AI collaboration. The DLR project “Collaboration of human operators and AI systems” (LOKI) aims at developing concepts, demonstrators and prototypes for tru...

The advance of AI in safety-and security-critical domains such as aviation needs high standards for its trustworthy development. In this context the EASA introduced the Assessment List for Trustworthy AI (ALTAI) as an helpful tool. This paper presents an approach for applying the ALTAI in the development of an AI-based digital Air Traffic Control O...

In the project RESILIENZ at the German Aerospace Center, a systematic approach for combining operational scenarios from Concept of Operations (ConOps) to capture specific operational ranges and limitations, is investigated. Based on an exemplary aviation use case-collision avoidance-, the corresponding ConOps is defined and used as a basis to deriv...

In engineering of autonomous systems, Operational Design Domain (ODD) is an artifact that specifies the envelop in which a system safely operates. By defining requirements regarding the safe operating conditions, the ODD provides the basis for the verification and validation of the system’s behavior. ASAM contributed to discussion by defining an OD...

Ein Produktentwicklungsprozess im Bereich der Luftfahrt verläuft in der Regel entlang eines fest vorgegebenen Pfades der durch bestimmte Meilensteine gekennzeichnet ist. Nach der Produktidee mit der entsprechenden Marktanalyse muss ein Missionsprofil erstellt werden. Dafür werden vom Overall Aircraft Design (OAD) sogenannte Top Level Aircraft Requi...

In order for thermoplastics to compete with thermosets in terms of fast production cycles, KraussMaffei improved a thermoplastic RTM process with a three-component dosage unit where the low-viscosity chemical precursor of polyamide 6, called caprolactam, is mixed with an activator/catalyst and therefore in-mold polymerized to create near net shape...

At the DLR ZLP in Augsburg a full scale rear pressure bulkhead demonstrator was built using the pick-and-place process with cooperating robots combined with dry fiber placement via continuous rolling technology. To identify the most economic process, manufacturing times, manufacturing costs and preform quality were evaluated regarding the required...

The recent progress in additive manufacturing technologies has led to new freedom in respect to part design. Strongly undercut and inner geometries can be manufactured as an integral structure. In the course of the development of an automated preforming process for small batch freeform CFRP components at the German Aerospace Center in Augsburg, the...

Auf dem DLRK-Kongresses 2017 wurde im Rahmen des Beitrages "ENDBEARBEITUNG VON THERMOPLASTISCHEN, KOHLENSTOFFFASERVERSTÄRKTEN BAUTEILEN DURCH EINE KOMBINIERTE LASERUND FRÄSBEARBEITUNG" eine prototypische Bearbeitungszelle vorgestellt und ihre Funktionsweise am Beispiel der Bearbeitung thermoplastischer Bauteile aufgezeigt. Dabei wurden sowohl die A...

Carbon fiber reinforced plastics (CFRPs) have been widely applied in modern wide-body aircrafts, but they are also increasingly interesting for structural parts in single-aisle aircrafts. So far CFRPs failed to get into single-aisle aircrafts on a great scale for cost reasons. To be able to compete with metal based solutions it is necessary to cons...

The present study gives an overview of relevant drape forming methods in the manufacturing process of fibre reinforced plastics and evaluates their feasibility for automation. In experimental tests rigid and non-rigid tools were used and evaluated to drape dry carbon fibre fabrics on varying helicopter structures. These geometries consist of areas...

Modern helicopters often rely on components made from carbon fiber reinforced plastic to save weight in big structural components with simple geometries. There is great potential for further weight savings in smaller more complex structures. Low quantities, a high variability in geometry and freeform surfaces are characteristics of such components....

Advanced carbon fiber-reinforced thermoplastics offer a great potential for aerospace applications by efficient and customizable processing via pick-and-place preforming and oven vacuum consolidation. However, omitting autoclave cycles and press-formed blanks bears the risk to produce parts with an insufficient degree of consolidation. In order to...

Die Struktur modernster Twin-Aisle-Flugzeuge wie dem Airbus A350 XWB besteht größtenteils aus carbonfaserverstärkte Kunststoffen (CFK). Thermoplastische Verbundwerkstoffe werden vieltausendfach als Verbindungselemente der Versteifungsstruktur, sogenannte Clips und Cleats, mittels Pressumformung vorkonfektionierter Organobleche hergestellt und verba...

Carbon fiber-reinforced thermoplastics offer the possibility for short lead times and dustless assembly in aerospace applications. However, their great potential for efficient processing to date is not entirely exploited. At the Center for Lightweight Production Technology (ZLP) in Augsburg smart automation of thermoplastic composite production is...

The production of carbon fiber reinforced thermoplastic (CFRTP) parts consists of time and energy consuming steps that have great potential for optimization and automation. The research at the DLR in Augsburg aims at efficient thermoplastic composite production utilizing the advantages of a hot press that is integrated in a flexible robot cell. The...

Advanced thermoplastic composites offer the possibility for fast molding and welding and have a great potential for efficient composite processing techniques in aerospace applications. The research at the Center for Lightweight-Production-Technology (ZLP) in Augsburg aims at automation of thermoplastic composite production utilizing a flexible robo...