Aeronautics has profoundly changed the world’s living conditions. As the technology moves past the surface of the Earth, challenges to the rapid development of spacecraft arise.
Thus, aerospace engineers use their skills to meet the ever-changing demands of the industry—from digitalisation, modelling, and automation to increasing fuel-efficiency, enhancing the spacecraft’s ability to pass stress analysis, and enhancing overall safety.
In addition, these changes in demand should also satisfy the expanding aerospace market particularly in the fields of commercial air flight and defence.
With the demand for both defence and commercial aerospace increasing, the market experiences a significant shift driven by further innovation and digital transformation.
As the industry seeks to address the different issues caused by this market shift, experts need to consider five key trends that are currently shaping the global aerospace industry.
Climate change concerns among air travelers have led the industry to find ways to decrease its carbon footprint. These innovative technologies include converting biofuel to safe aviation fuel; developing an all-electric aircraft that is powered by a battery stack; and developing a hydrogen-powered aircraft. All these technologies aim to reduce carbon emissions and fuel costs.
AI, computer vision, machine learning, and other AI-related technologies are being used to automate manual processes, in turn eliminating human errors. They also increase productivity and safety, enabling the industry to meet the increasing demand for new aircraft.
In addition, AI enables the analysis of data and the discovery of new relations and patterns, which help improve operations such as the optimization of routes, the efficient use of fuel, and the utilization of assets.
Lighter materials enable the manufacture of planes that are less resistant to gravitational forces, though these materials also need to be able to withstand extreme temperature changes, cracking, and corrosion and must have a high tensile strength.
Some of the materials being considered for the future aircraft include magnesium, fiber metal laminates (FML), and sheets of the Adaptive Nanohybrid (NAHF-X) type.
Advances in 3D metal printing reduce the cost for low-volume production runs and enable the delivery of lighter and stronger alternatives to parts made of conventional materials.
Additive manufacturing is especially suitable for the manufacture of parts and components that use considerably less material than other comparable parts that are traditionally made. It enables the production of complex geometric shapes without compromising the strength.
The use of smart material also allows aircraft manufacturers to quickly develop prototypes, thereby improving efficiency and decreasing development roadblocks.
Nitrexo provides economical and cost-effective engineering solutions to help companies successfully navigate through these economic trends.
Over the years, it has achieved competence and expertise in the fields of space and thermal engineering, with special focus on designing 3D thermal models which play a vital role in the analysis of the spacecraft’s system, structures, and mechanism, and further reduce the production lead time in manufacturing settings.
The company also designs, manufactures, and procures its own hardware such as thermal hardware (MLI, radiators, heat pipes, heaters, and thermal straps), payloads, struts, solar panels, mechanisms, instruments, antennas, sensors, mirrors, electronics, cameras, optoelectronics devices, microelectronic components, and mechanical ground support equipment.
As a NewSpace company, Nitrexo aims to boost the development of new innovations in the aeronautics industry. Its software application, Digital Engineer®, enables engineers to share knowledge with each other. It also digitizes and automates many engineering processes, ensuring that they are executed efficiently and accurately.
Registered address: Elfordstown Earth Station, Midleton, Co. Cork, Ireland
Telephone: +353 21 4630801
Email: info@nitrexo.com