JEC predicts composites will play bigger role in next generation of aircraft
Composite materials are set to play an even greater role in the next generation of commercial aircraft as manufacturers seek to reduce weight, improve fuel efficiency and enhance the passenger experience.
Composites help lower fuel usage and reduce maintenance costs
That is the view of Jeff Sloan, JEC’s Global Content Advisor and Editor, who told Aerospace Global News that the aerospace industry is entering a new phase for advanced composite materials, following their use on aircraft such as the Boeing 787 and Airbus A350.
The 787 uses carbon-fibre composites to lower fuel usage and reduce maintenance costs.
Boeing says it uses composites on the wide-body as they also resist corrosion better than aluminium and do not fatigue, which reduces inspection requirements and downtime.
For the Airbus A350, 70% of the structure is made from advanced materials – 53% composite and 14% titanium – also resulting in lower weight and reduced maintenance.
Manufacturing processes have ‘matured considerably’
Speaking at the Farnborough International Airshow, Sloan said composites had become an important part of modern aircraft design, because they combine high strength with significantly lower weight than traditional metallic structures.
“The greatest benefit they provide is lightweight and very high strength,” he said.
“Any time you’re trying to get off the ground, you’re fighting gravity, and composites provide the light-weighting you need.”
While composites have been used in aerospace for decades, Sloan said manufacturing techniques have matured considerably over the past 20 years.
“Composites are relatively young,” he said. “For a long time, their manufacture was something of an art form. Over the last 20 to 25 years they’ve become much more industrialised.”
Improving the passenger experience
As Boeing and Airbus develop their next generation of aircraft, Sloan expects composite content to increase further.
Beyond the lightweight and resistant materiality of composites, they also bring benefits to passengers and the cabin experience.
Composite fuselage structures allow aircraft to be pressurised to a lower cabin altitude than conventional aluminium aircraft, helping reduce human fatigue and dehydration on long flights.
Composite materials are also widely used throughout aircraft interiors, including overhead bins, window surrounds and bulkheads.
Farnborough serves as forum for global industry
For JEC Group, which connects companies across the global composites supply chain, attending the Farnborough International Airshow provides an opportunity to meet material suppliers, manufacturers and aerospace customers in one location.
“A lot of the composite supply chain is here because they serve the aerospace industry,” Sloan said. “For us, it’s like one-stop shopping.”
