Cross-domain collaboration and cross-pollination of knowledge and technologies
Synergies between domains strengthen the need to bring the Air, Sea, and Land platform developers to jointly address shared challenges. While the scale and nature of these challenges may differ across domains, the experience and insights gained will benefit all stakeholders, especially in the structural joining, maintenance, and repair of composite and multi-material structures. Furthermore, MaJoR will establish an autonomous EU-wide network to test and qualify European-developed defence capabilities by advancing key technologies to TRL 6/7.
Development Approach and Process
The excellence in development of the target components will be achieved by following to a commonly agreed system engineering approach. The project follows four phases from concept phase to design phase. A System Requirements Review (SRR) after the concept phase examines the functional and performance requirements defined for the system and the preliminary programme or project plan and ensures that the requirements and the selected concept will satisfy the mission.
Core Technology Developments
In parallel with the design phase the technology development will takes place and feed into the development.
In the proposed Development Action, the preferred starting TRL should be at a minimum of three or four so that the fundamental ideas addressing the individual needs are already translated into R&T that shall be further advanced in MaJoR. In total seven technology bricks are defined, addressing initial design and repair applications that run simultaneously through the R&T gate reviews. The Open Call initiative, running in parallel, will support the technology development by testing and simulation tasks as well as showcasing solutions to challenges posed by the consortium.
Joining technology includes far more than merely joining two parts to create a joint. It entwins multiple disciplines, in particular materials & processes (M&P), stress, design, manufacturing, structural integrity, and services, necessary to be reflected in the technology development streams.
Without a multidisciplinary approach the benefits of the bonding as well as welding cannot be realised. This applies for initial design, joining as well as repair.
The MaJoR approach ensures significant progress beyond the state-of-the-art for these 7 technologies.