Assembling aircraft composite components
Overview
This standard identifies the competences you need to produce aircraft composite assemblies from composite and non-composite components, in accordance with approved procedures. You will be required to work to instructions, specifications and documentation to produce the composite assemblies, using the correct techniques. The assemblies will include double-curvature assemblies and stiffened assemblies. The assemblies will be built from components made from glass fibre mouldings, carbon fibre mouldings, acrylic mouldings, double-curvature mouldings, and foam/honeycomb stiffened mouldings, and will be assembled using a variety of joining methods, to include positive pressure bonding, structural bonding, contact bonding, riveting and bolting.
Your responsibilities will require you to comply with organisational policy and procedures for the composite assembly activities undertaken, and to report any problems with the assembly activities, equipment or materials that you cannot personally resolve, or are outside your permitted authority, to the relevant people. You will need to ensure that all tools, equipment and materials used in the assembly are correctly accounted for on completion of the activities, and you must complete all necessary job/task documentation accurately and legibly.
You will be expected to work either with a high level of supervision or as a member of a team, and you will take personal responsibility for your own actions and for the quality and accuracy of the work that you carry out. Where team working is involved, you must demonstrate a significant personal contribution during the team activities in order to satisfy the requirements of this standard, and you must demonstrate competence in all the areas required by the standard.
Your underpinning knowledge will be sufficient to provide a sound basis for your work, and will provide an informed approach to applying the appropriate composite assembly techniques and procedures. You will understand the assembly procedures and techniques used, and will know about the tools and techniques, in adequate depth to provide sound basis for carrying out the activities to the required specification.
You will understand the safety precautions required when carrying out the composite assembly activities, and when using the associated tools and equipment. You will be required to demonstrate safe working practices throughout. You will also understand your responsibilities for safety, and the importance of taking the necessary safeguards to protect yourself and others in the workplace.
Performance criteria
You must be able to:
P1 work safely at all times, complying with health and safety and other relevant regulations, directives and guidelines
P2 follow the relevant instructions, assembly drawings and any other specifications
P3 ensure that the specified components are available and that they are in a usable condition
P4 use the appropriate methods and techniques to assemble the components in their correct positions
P5 produce composite assemblies
P6 secure the components using the specified connectors and securing devices
P7 check the completed assembly to ensure that all operations have been completed and the finished assembly meets the required specification
P8 deal with problems within your control and report those that cannot be solved
P9 complete and store all relevant documentation in accordance with organisational requirements
Knowledge and Understanding
You need to know and understand:
K1 how to work safely at all times, complying with health and safety and other relevant regulations, directives and guidelines
K2 the importance of wearing the appropriate personal protective equipment (PPE), and of keeping the work area clean and tidy
K3 the application of COSHH regulations in relation to the storage, use and disposal of composite materials and consumables
K4 the specific workshop environmental conditions that must be observed when producing aircraft composite assemblies
K5 how to use and extract information from engineering drawings and related specifications in relation to work undertaken
K6 how to use imperial and metric systems of measurement, workpiece reference points and system of tolerancing
K7 the use of and conventions/terminology used in composite assembly
K8 the types of component trimming/cutting methods and preparation methods available
K9 the methods of achieving consolidation at joining/laying-up points
K10 the methods of assembling composite components using mechanical methods
K11 the procedures for selecting the correct type of adhesive, and the pre-treatment requirements
K12 the procedures for composite riveting/drilling, and the effect of using percussion or squeeze riveting
K13 the methods and techniques for lifting, handling and supporting the components/equipment/materials during the assembly activities
K14 the quality control procedures to be followed during the assembly operations
K15 recognition of jointing defects
K16 the tools and equipment used in assembly activities, and their care, preparation and control procedures
K17 why tool/equipment control is critical, and what to do if a tool or piece of equipment is unaccounted for on completion of the activities
K18 the issues that can occur with the assembly activities, and how they can be avoided
K19 the recording documentation to be completed for the assembly activities undertaken and, where appropriate, the importance of marking and identifying specific pieces of work in relation to the documentation
K20 the procedure for the safe disposal and correct separation of waste materials
K21 the extent of your own responsibility, and to whom you should report if you have problems that you cannot resolve
Scope/range
Scope Performance
- Carry out all of the following during the aircraft composite assembly activities:
- ensure that you have the correct documentation for the assembly operations (including items such as drawings, job instructions, aircraft standards)
- adhere to procedures or systems in place for risk assessment, personal protective equipment and other relevant safety regulations and procedures to realise a safe system of work
- use the correct tools and equipment for the activity, and ensure that they are safe to use
- ensure that components to be used are of the correct type, and that all mouldings are free from defects
- apply safe and appropriate assembly practices and procedures at all times
- dispose of waste items and materials in a safe and environmentally acceptable manner, in line with company procedures
- return all tools and equipment to the correct location on completion of the activities
- leave the work area in a safe condition and free from foreign object debris
- Produce one of the following types of composite assembly:
- trial assemblies
- one-off assemblies
- batch assemblies
- assembly line
- Produce aircraft composite assemblies that incorporate two of the following features:
- loose fit tolerances
- non-permanent fixing
- joggle joins
- return joins
- close fit tolerances
- shape location
- permanent fixing
- overlap joins
- strap joins
- Produce aircraft composite assemblies that require two of the following methods to be used:
- fettling
- clamping
- aligning
- assembly sequences
- pinning
- trial fitting
- assembly jigs
- tongue and groove
- datum points
- orientation
- Produce aircraft composite assemblies that use one of the following joining methods:
- thread inserts
- mechanical fasteners
- anchor nuts
- blind fasteners
- adhesive bonding
- pinning
- thermo welding
- rivets
- quick-release fasteners
- click bonds
- other specific joining method
- Assemble aircraft composite components which include two of the following:
- trim
- casings and covers
- sandwich panels
- moulds
- closing panels
- aerodynamic components
- structural
- jigs
- housings
- tubes
- galley units
- tanks
- consoles
- sections
- airframe components
- core materials
- inserts
- other specific components
- Produce assemblies which include one of the following non-composite components:
- brackets
- fixtures
- metal components
- non-metallic components
- fittings
- trim
- finishing tapes
- memory foam
- labels/decals
- surface films
- edge bands
- other specific component
- Carry out quality and accuracy checks during assembly, which include all of the following:
- cosmetic appearance
- accuracy of joint lines
- component orientation
- excess adhesives
- security of joints
- freedom from damage
- Produce assemblies which comply with one of the following standards:
- Civil Aviation Authority (CAA)/European Aviation Safety Agency (EASA)
- Ministry of Defence (MoD)
- Military Aviation Authority (MAA)
- Aerospace Quality Management Standards (AS)
- Federal Aviation Authority (FAA)
- BS, ISO or BSEN standards
- organisational standards and procedures
- customer standards and requirements
- manufacturers standards and procedures
- Complete the relevant paperwork, to include one from the following, and pass it to the appropriate people:
- build records
- job cards.
- log cards
- aircraft flight log
- other specific recording method