At the Paris Air Show, Hexcel is spotlighting a major advancement in aerospace manufacturing with the public debut of its latest thermoplastic composite technology: a PEKK/carbon overwing emergency exit door component developed through the HELUES project. 

The demonstrator represents a pivotal step forward in reducing aerospace production complexity and cycle times. Created as part of a strategic alliance between Hexcel and Arkema, formed in 2018, the HELUES initiative brings together a consortium of aerospace and materials leaders to drive thermoplastic innovation for high-rate aircraft production. 

“This demonstrator is a milestone in aerospace thermoplastic composites,” said Thierry Merlot, President of Hexcel Aerospace Europe, Asia Pacific, Middle East, Africa & Industrial. “By eliminating autoclaves and enabling functional integration in a single step, thermoplastics are opening the door to truly scalable aircraft production.” 

The HELUES component replaces a traditionally multi-part door subassembly with a single moulded structure, reducing component count and assembly steps by up to 90%. It uses HexPly® UD carbon fibre-reinforced Kepstan® PEKK tapes along with PEKK injection moulding compounds in a one-step forming and overmolding process. The result is a structurally complex part produced in under two minutes. 

Backed by funding from the Bavarian State Ministry of Economic Affairs and support from the German Aerospace Centre, the HELUES project includes Airbus Helicopters Deutschland GmbH, Neue Materialien Bayreuth GmbH, Siebenwurst GmbH & Co. KG, INCOE International Europe, Arkema, and Hexcel. Together, the partners have focused on developing scalable solutions for next-generation aerospace platforms. 

Key benefits of the HELUES thermoplastic solution include: 

• High-rate production capability: Reduces manufacturing cycle times from hours to minutes to meet monthly production targets of 80-100 aircraft. 

• Lightweight design and part consolidation: Enables functional integration and complex geometries without fasteners. 

• Sustainability gains: Thermoplastic materials like PEKK are recyclable, promoting a circular economy approach in aerospace. 

Early testing has confirmed strong material bonding between moulded ribs and thermoformed laminates, even under the demanding process conditions typical in aerospace applications. 

Source: www.hexcel.com