Carbon Z-Strut
Carbon Z-Strut
NORCO Composites & GRP were commissioned by ATE-Aerotech to design and manufacture a Carbon Z-Strut for use in large open plenum wind tunnels. The Z-Strut’s purpose is to vertically position pressure sensing equipment with high precision, enabling accurate measurement of airflow parameters such as disturbance, pressure, velocity, and temperature across designated survey points within the model space.
The Solution
The Carbon Z-Strut was developed to meet strict performance requirements, with an emphasis on positional accuracy and repeatability. To achieve this, ultra-high modulus pitch-grade unidirectional fibres were used, providing exceptional stiffness and material properties suited to the application.
Aerodynamic performance was also critical. Any inaccuracies in the foil section could lead to oscillations, potentially impacting the quality of test data. The moulded fairing sections were designed to minimise aerodynamic drag and interference, while ensuring a symmetrical and stable foil section to protect data integrity.
Manufacturing Process
The project was delivered by NORCO’s precision composites team using a series of advanced manufacturing stages:
- Fairings: Resin infused in CNC machined tooling to achieve precision and consistency.
- Spar: Constructed using oven-cured pre-preg materials for structural strength.
- Assembly: Spar and fairings were assembled and bonded using a structural adhesive, incorporating custom designed and machined components manufactured in-house by NORCO’s CNC facilities.
- Finishing: The assembled parts were faired and spray-painted in the NORCO paint shop to ensure a consistent and aerodynamic foil section.
Project Challenges and Successes
The Carbon Z-Strut project presented several design challenges, offering NORCO the opportunity to showcase its engineering expertise. Our team provided critical feedback to the client, suggesting design and material changes to improve manufacturing accuracy and efficiency for future production runs.
This project highlights NORCO’s capabilities in delivering complex, limited production composite structures to a high standard. It also positions NORCO as a proven supplier in the automotive sector, and strengthens our credentials for future aerofoil and wing manufacture projects across the marine and aerospace industries.
