Aircraft wing section with adaptive Shock Control Bump (SCB) on a morphing spoiler

Morphing aircraft spoiler for adaptive drag reduction

The transonic cruise flight represents a compromise between the highest possible cruising speed and thus shorter flight time with the lowest possible fuel consumption Aircraft manufacturers and airlines make this compromise in order to operate in a profit-orientated manner, particularly against the background of rising fuel prices and the pursuit of emission reductions in air…

Numerical calculation concept for the evaluation of fibre waviness

Probabilistic simulation in design

Manufacturing defects pose immense challenges for the production of aircraft structures made of carbon fibre reinforced plastic (CFRP). One characteristic type of defect, for example, is undesirable fibre waviness. They have a significant influence on the resulting material properties. Innovative approaches are therefore required in order to fulfil the high quality requirements of modern aviation.…

Half tanks – full understanding!

Hydrogen as an energy source is a promising solution for sustainable andCO2-neutral mobility. The storage of hydrogen as a fuel is an important basis for this. High-pressure tanks are already being used in some applications and are being continuously developed further. For aerospace applications, the storage of hydrogen in liquid form (LH2) is an interesting…

‘Competition for Innovation’ at the Institute for Lightweight Systems

For the first time, we organised the ‘Competition for Innovation’ at the Institute for Lightweight Systems in 2024. The winners of the competition were teams that impressed with innovative technological proposals. These included: the cost-effective and precise production of moulds for fibre composite manufacturing from cardboard, a software solution for the simulation of fibre composites…

Small, smaller, nano – how nanoparticles improve the performance of adhesives for wind turbine blades

The expansion of electricity generation using wind energy significantly contributes towards the climate-neutral energy supply in Germany. Due to the limited area available, future wind turbines will need to be more economical, with an improved degree of utilisation. The development of larger rotor blades is particularly important for this. However, established materials are nearing their…