Description

Ultra light material specially made for aircraft air conditioning. It is light by a sandwich like structure comprising a structural, thermoformed foam and a highly stiff carbon grid. The foam is air tight and insulating. Those properties are produced in two automated steps:

1st   Blowmoulding the foam

2nd   A modified machine from textile industry and an industrial robot are used to automatically fix a carbon fibre exoskeleton onto the outer side of the foam.

Outcome is 30% weight saving and 35% production cost saving by drastically reduced production time. 

Patent by Airbus

US Patent 8 006 722-B2, 2011

Publication

Publication at the Luftfahrtforschungsprogramm V, Bundesministerium für Bildung und Forschung, Hamburg, 2013