The main objective of ASPIRATE is to develop an innovative technology for machining carbon and glass fibre reinforced plastic (CFRP and GFRP) parts based on the internal extraction of the produced chip and dust particles through the whole machining system (cutting tool, tool holder, spindle), avoiding all the external devices and suction pumps used nowadays, which reduce the flexibility and leave an unclean part (they do not achieve a complete chip/dust extraction), with the consequent risk for the operator’s health and machine’s components.

The basic idea of the project has been conceived by the Spanish machine tool manufacturer ORTZA to equip their machines with a new technology to solve the problematic machining of fibre-reinforced composites. The three critical components for the success of this development are the hollow cutting tools (to be developed by the SME ZUBIOLA), the diamond coatings for machining abrasive composite materials (to be developed by SME RHO-BEST) and the design of the chip extraction system, which will be developed by RTDs Fraunhofer IST and IDEKO. The SME company INVENT GmbH, as an aerospace end user, will assess and validate the developed technologies in each of the target potential applications and will provide a technology transfer by the end of the project. Spain, Germany and Austria will be represented in the consortium, providing a higher impact of the breakthrough in Europe.

The new chip and dust extraction system is rated to become a breakthrough and a reference for machining companies in search of highly productive and human safe technologies in producing reinforced composite components. The technological advances achieved by the end of this project will lead European countries to the head of world composites machining industry, with a qualitative jump for at least 3 years.