In a quiet yet significant shift, Airbus and Boeing are rethinking their approaches to aircraft manufacturing in preparation for the next generation of passenger jets.
Both companies have set ambitious production targets designed to transform the aerospace landscape, focusing on new materials and advanced manufacturing processes that could redefine how airplanes are built.
Currently, popular models like the Airbus A320 and Boeing 737 families continue to dominate the market, confirming their substantial order books.
However, the aerospace giants are working diligently behind the scenes to create the groundwork for their future successors.
Replacing aluminum with thermoplastics
While these next-gen narrow-body aircraft won’t hit the market soon, supply chain challenges and advanced engine development needs mean that launches are still several years away.
Nevertheless, a noteworthy manufacturing revolution is unfolding.
At a recent conference in Paris centered on composites, Reuters reported that the two manufacturers revealed their extraordinary production ambitions.
Airbus and Boeing are fine-tuning their supply chains to ramp up to a production rate of 80 aircraft per month, more than doubling Boeing’s current output and surpassing Airbus’s previously delayed targets of 75 monthly deliveries.
Some industry insiders suggest that even more ambitious targets may be in play, with discussions hinting at the need for capabilities to deliver up to 100 aircraft per month, a rate that would see a new 200-seat plane produced every few hours.
The push toward higher production rates is rooted in advances in material science.
For decades, aluminum has been the primary material in constructing single-aisle jets.
However, both manufacturers are now looking toward composites that are widely used in larger aircraft like the Boeing 787 and Airbus A350.
These materials offer notable advantages, including significant weight reduction and improved aerodynamic profiles that can lead to better fuel efficiency and lower emissions.
Yet, the traditional composite production process, especially the lengthy autoclave curing, presents considerable obstacles for high-volume manufacturing.
Randy Wilkerson, representing Boeing in a NASA-led research initiative, noted, “The goal is to recommend the best approach to transition to the next airplane program. Among the promising materials gaining traction are thermoplastics.”
Can be reheated and reshaped
Unlike traditional thermoset composites, thermoplastics can be reheated and reshaped.
Lukas Raps from the German Aerospace Centre highlighted this flexibility, explaining that the ability to melt and remold thermoplastics allows for creating seamless, aerodynamic structures.
York Roth, a senior researcher with Airbus in Germany, reportedly emphasized the potential of thermoplastics when he said, “There is no doubt that thermoplastic materials offer opportunities that we don’t have with thermosets.”
Thermoplastics could also permit welding instead of riveting, significantly reducing the metal fasteners required for each aircraft.
However, such changes would still need to undergo rigorous certification processes.
Beyond thermoplastics, Boeing and Airbus are also exploring various production methods. These include quicker-curing composite systems and resin infusion techniques, which could eliminate the need for autoclave processing.
Industry experts suggest that future aircraft will likely utilize a combination of these technologies rather than rely solely on one.
While progress is evident, officials from both companies have stressed that there are no immediate plans to launch new aircraft programs.
This caution comes amid ongoing supply chain issues and recent challenges Boeing faces, which could unsettle investors.
“This demonstrator was never meant to fly, but it has been established to maximize learning,” noted Roth, addressing attendees at the conference.
