New Assembly Technique Produces Lightweight Aircraft Fuselages
AUGSBURG, Germany—Engineers at the German Aerospace Center (DLR) here have developed new materials and production methods to reduce the amount of aluminum used in airframes. Working in partnership with Airbus, Aerotec and Aernnova, DLR recently produced a multifunctional fuselage demonstrator made out of carbon-fiber reinforced thermoplastic.
The upper half of the prototype aircraft fuselage weighs 1 ton lighter than its aluminum counterpart. It was produced with new assembly technology that reduces costs and minimizes energy consumption.