Project Title: Digitally Adjustable Tooling for manufacturing of Aircraft panels using multi-point FORMing methodology.

Acronym: DATAFORM

Sponsor: EC FP6

Total Amount: € 2,462,675

MEC Budget: € 637,001

Project Start/End Dates: 01 October 2006 – 30 September 2009

MEC Contact:

• Professor D. T. Pham, Email: phamdt@cardiff.ac.uk
• Dr. S. Su, Email: sus@cardiff.ac.uk

Scope and Objectives:

DATAFORM is a specific targeted research project (STREP), supported by EC funding from the Sixth Framework Programme (FP6) in Aeronautics and Space Activity.

DATAFORM focuses on researching, developing and applying digitally-adjustable multi-point tooling for the manufacture of 3D aircraft panels. It will play a key role in realising the full potential of flexible tooling by combining multi-point forming technology and robotic control technology.

The main objectives of DATAFORM are the development and application of digitally adjustable multi-point forming tooling and multi-point positioning tooling for the fabrication and assembly of aircraft panels. In particular, DATAFORM will enable rapid, flexible and cost-effective manufacturing of skin panels in aircraft.

MEC Role: Project Coordinator

DATAFORM Consortium: The consortium consists of six partners:

• Manufacturing Engineering Centre (MEC), Cardiff University, UK
• Open Engineering SA, Belgium
• Centre de Recherche en Aéronautique (CENAERO), Belgium
• Dieless Forming Technology Development Centre, JiLin University, China
• Kayser Italia, Italy
• SENER INGENIERIA Y SISTEMAS, Spain