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Quieter, safer and more eco-efficient: To cope with the challenges of future aviation engineers are – among other things – permanently working on finding lighter, stronger and more flexible materials as well as developing new manufacturing processes . However, in the past years the use of new materials in aviation has gone up a gear. As a global leader in aerospace and defence, EADS not only holds a pole position in these technologies but also licenses them for use in other industries.
Record composite levels
While 70% of the outerskin area of the Eurofighter Typhoon is made of Carbon Fibre Composites (CFC) the airframe of EADS´ military helicopter NH90 consists of 85% – a worldwide record. The A350 XWB will be Airbus´ first aircraft with over 50% composites, allowing it to provide a 25 per cent step-change in fuel efficiency compared to its current long-range competitor. This does not only safeguard the environment but also secures a competitive advantage to the customer in terms of costs and performance.
New materials requiring new manufacturing processes
But the use of new CFC material also requires innovative manufacturing processes: For instance, EADS has developed the Vacuum Assisted Process (VAP) which is about 20% faster and consumes less energy than traditional methods. Apart from the huge potential in aviation, VAP is now also being used by an increasing number of licensees – among of which is the production of a bobsled which could be a contender in the 2018 Olympic Winter Games.
3-D-printing of components
Another revolutionary process is the so called Additive Layer Manufacturing (ALM): Compared to a traditionally machined part, those produced by ALM are up to 65% lighter but still as strong – a paradigm shift for the aerospace industry. To demonstrate the technology and its potential, EADS has constructed and unveiled the “Airbike” – the world’s first bike which comes directly out of a kind of 3D-printer and is thus ‘grown’ from high-strength nylon powder.
Learning from the world around us
For all these technologies reaching more eco-efficiency is one of the main goals. And while aiming at serving our environment nature is often the best teacher: Thus, “biomimicry” is the technique of imitating nature’s designs in engineering. This includes for instance the study of natural processes such as the migration flights of snow geese or the coating of the lotus flower. The results support EADS in creating utterly new concepts in times of constantly growing air traffic.
