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Lightweight Production Technology (LWPT) is today a well-established technology in the automotive industry. By introducing light weight fixtures manufactured from Carbon Fiber Reinforced Plastics (CFRP) in aeronautical applications, new challenges as well as possibilities of in-situ health monitoring emerges. The present paper present results from experimental investigations using optical fibers with multiplex Bragg gratings (FBG) as strain gauges in an industrial CFRP fixture. Fixtures were manufactured of laminates made from CFRP. Measurements have been performed on a single CFRP beam with dimensions (8000 × 500 × 500 mm), used as a structural part in a larger assembly (9000 × 4000mm). The optical fibers were placed in between two laminates on two sides of the beam. The measurement data from the FBGs were compared and correlated to the measured displacements of the beam and the applied loads.

There is the need to strive towards more advanced aircraft with the use of materials such as composites, and a desire to improve efficiency by achieving and maintaining laminar flow over a large proportion of the aircraft wing. Due to the high tolerances required to achieve laminar flow, the manufacturing processes and tooling will have to be revaluated to enable successful manufacture in a production environment. A major influence in achieving the key characteristics and tolerances is the assembly fixture. This paper details the design and manufacture of a carbon fibre based assembly fixture, required for a one-off build of an innovative leading edge wing concept. The fixture has been designed and optimised in order to make it adaptable, reconfigurable, and suitable for lifting as well as being thermally stable whilst maintaining laminar flow tolerances.