Airbus, the international aerospace group, in its new advanced aircraft programmes, is utilizing composite materials on a large scale. The use of modern materials and processes is a way to reduce weight, which is the main objective in aeronautics. However, making thicker, larger and more elaborate composite parts generates new technological challenges. With these new materials and processes, it is no longer possible to rely on traditional methodologies only in order to design and manufacture these components. Due to the size of the parts, the traditional trial-and-error approach of tooling manufacturing would lead to unacceptable tooling cost as well as long development lead times and expensive material waste. Simulation-based design is seen as a way to address these challenges in an economical manner (...)
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