Optimising Composite Aerostructures to Reduce Weight

This promotional video from Siemens PLM demonstrates the challenges associated with reducing weight in composite aerostructure and how specialised tools can help to solve the challenges.

Global competition demands aerospace companies to respond with fast, flawless and cost-competitive product development. However, this becomes increasingly difficult with the addition of innovative material technologies, such as fibre-reinforced composites, that require the support of advanced tools and processes.

These advanced composite materials offer dramatic opportunities for producing lightweight aerostructures that are more durable, innovative, fuel-efficient, corrosion-resistant and easier to maintain than metal structures. Composites are being used more extensively in the manufacture of aircraft engines, commercial airliners, military aircraft, helicopters and regional jets because of their desirable weight, performance and strength properties. However, the real potential for composites has not yet been realised because engineers face critical design and manufacturing risks when creating highly engineered aerospace composite parts, such as design errors, high manufacturing costs and increased cycle times.