The development and manufacturing of aircraft involves several areas of attention. These include aircraft systems engineering and manufacturing, airframe engineering and manufacturing and quality control and testing. Learn and read more about what this entails.
In addition to all our research, development and manufacturing, we focus on the engineering of prototype and one-off, manned and unmanned aerial vehicles. This engineering contains the conceptual, structural and aerodynamic design, analysis, aircraft, landing gear and propulsion systems as well as vehicle electronics, sensory electronics and flight automation.
Whatever the size or type of aircraft, accurate assembly and structural alignment is essential to ensure efficient structural and aerodynamic performance and safe operations during its lifespan. Airframe manufacturing means straightforward and efficient tooling to help operators handle and align airframe sections together. This includes tooling design, composite part and metal part manufacturing. But also overall assembly and systems integration. With our understanding of design and material properties, together with state-of-the-art manufacturing capabilities within the aerospace industry, Orange Aerospace can advise on appropriate technology applications for full optimisation and manufacturability.
Through cooperation with all leading component manufacturers, we design and manufacture propulsion systems. We also manufacture high voltage power distribution including active and passive safety systems. Think of landing gear systems, parachute recovery systems, certified wiring harnesses using mill spec hook-up wire and connectors. For actuation systems we complete off the shelf components with in-house produced parts like hinges, axles, brackets, control rods and convolute gears, to provide a functional, low friction, close tolerance actuation system. Our avionics contain the integration of all commercially available autopilot systems including design and manufacturing of required peripherals. Through a partnership with Sovereign Autonomous Systems, we provide turnkey solutions with fully tuned, autonomous systems capable of autonomous landing and dynamic on-board flight path calculations.
Quality inspections take place during the various manufacturing steps. Composite parts are individually tested and measured. However, an extensive quality inspection always takes place after the 'final assembly' steps. The components of the airframe are placed under the CNC measuring machine, where all crucial points are systematically measured and clocked out on. This way, all possible tolerances are mapped out and reported. Crucial (glue) connections are also checked again and the appliance is weighed to see whether this corresponds to the theoretical weights. If necessary, deflection tests are also carried out on wings, for example. Geometry control through 3D CNC probing, structural load tests, destructive coupon tests and non-destructive airframe load tests, radio interference testing and UAV Sensor calibration are also performed. Wind tunnel testing is carried out in partnership with the German-Dutch Wind Tunnels (DNW).
