White Paper - Aerospace and Defense Industry Spotlight

Harnessing Innovation: Addressing the Challenges of the Digital Era

Discover how the aerospace sector is investing in industrial infrastructure and modern digital solutions to maintain technological mastery and global competitive advantage.

A constantly evolving sector

The aerospace industry encompasses all activities from design and production to the maintenance of aircraft and space systems. With global air traffic increasing by an average of 4.5% since 2010, the industry faces massive structural shifts.

  • Market Impact: The industry supports over 6 million jobs worldwide and generates 3.5 trillion USD in annual revenue.
  • The Competitive Edge: To survive declining profit margins and fierce foreign competition, French and global aerospace firms must adopt innovative digital tools to remain flexible and responsive.
  • Future Roadmaps: Current R&D programs, often in partnership with federal laboratories, are driving the development of lighter, connected, and increasingly autonomous aircrafts.

Technical Mastery and the Sustainability Shift

Material selection is no longer just about a cost-to-performance ratio; it must now account for a complex matrix of technical, economic, and environmental factors.

Material Innovation for High Performance

  • Technical Excellence: The industry is developing new steel grades and nickel-based superalloys with refractory elements (Re, Ru) to increase mechanical strength and thermal resistance.
  • Weight Reduction: Replacing conventional steels with organic matrix composites or high-strength titanium alloys (Ti1023 or Ti5553) in critical components like landing gears significantly improves fuel efficiency without sacrificing safety.
  • Additive Manufacturing: 3D printing is dramatically slashing cycle times and reduced the weight of the A350 XWB landing gear by nearly 30%.

The Decarbonization Mandate

With the U.S. aiming for a 50-52% reduction in net GHG emissions by 2030, the “airplane of the future” will rely on Sustainable Aviation Fuels (SAF) and hydrogen propulsion. Hydrogen weighs three times less than kerosene, but its storage at -252°C requires advanced material insulation and fugitive-emission management.

FAQ: Securing Knowledge and Compliance

How does the industry handle the loss of expertise?

The COVID-19 crisis highlighted the risk of fragmented knowledge. Aerospace firms now use Communities of Practice to pool tacit knowledge and return on experience (REX), ensuring that past design decisions are leveraged for future research.

Regulations like REACH (Chrome VI prohibition) and RoHS impose strict obligations. Standard ISO/ICS 49.025 specifically defines safety criteria for aerospace construction, including flammability and system reactivity.

Between 60% and 90% of an aircraft can be recycled. Identifying recyclable materials and managing their end-of-life cycle is essential for meeting the 2050 net-zero targets.

TEEXMA for Materials: The Digital Hub for Aerospace Innovation

Developed by BASSETTI GROUP, TEEXMA for Materials is the specialized software solution designed to assist aerospace companies in making informed, data-driven decisions.

A Single Source of Truth for Your Technical Assets:

  • Centralized Database: Capitalize on material properties, expertise, and historical data in a single accessible repository.
  • Eco-Design & Compliance: Evaluate environmental impacts and ensure adherence to REACH/RoHS requirements throughout the R&D process.
  • SAFRAN Success: As highlighted by SAFRAN, TEEXMA provides reliable, validated information across departments, reducing workloads and significantly boosting productivity through knowledge capitalization.

TEEXMA for Materials ensures technical continuity, providing your engineering departments with the calculation cards and simulation tools needed to drive the next generation of aerospace excellence.

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