From Metal To Composites: How Materials Are Revolutionizing Aircraft
As aerospace continues its pursuit of higher performance, lower weight, and improved lifecycle efficiency, metal-to composite component conversion is a key enabler of innovation. Whether in commercial aviation or defense platforms, the transition from traditional metallic structures to advanced composite materials offers transformative benefits that ripple across the supply chain—from OEMs and suppliers to maintenance providers and end users.
Why Convert from Metal to Composites?
For decades, metals such as aluminum, titanium, and steel have been the materials of choice for aircraft structures and systems. They offer proven strength and durability, but come with trade-offs: higher weight, susceptibility to corrosion, fatigue, and complex manufacturing requirements.
Composites—typically carbon fiber reinforced polymers (CFRP) or glass fiber composites—present a compelling alternative. These materials are lightweight, corrosion-resistant, and capable of being molded into complex shapes. Converting traditional metallic components to composites can yield major advantages in weight reduction, fuel efficiency, and maintenance costs.
Key Benefits of Metal-to-Composite Conversions
1. Weight Reduction and Fuel Efficiency
One of the most immediate and measurable benefits is weight savings. Composites can reduce part weight by 20–50% when compared to metal equivalents. In commercial aviation, this translates to substantial fuel savings over an aircraft’s service life. For example, reducing just 1 kilogram of weight can save tens of thousands of dollars in fuel over time.
2. Improved Corrosion and Fatigue Resistance
Unlike metals, composites are not susceptible to corrosion or fatigue in the same way. This extends the life of components and structures, especially in harsh environments such as maritime or desert operations. Defense platforms operating in extreme conditions benefit significantly from the increased durability and lower maintenance burden that composites provide.
3. Enhanced Design Flexibility
Composites allow for more complex geometries, part consolidation, and aerodynamic optimization that are difficult or impossible to achieve with metals. By integrating multiple components into a single composite structure, manufacturers can reduce fasteners, joints, and potential points of failure.
4. Lower Lifecycle and Maintenance Costs
Composite components can allow for extended service intervals and reduce the need for corrosion-related inspections, yielding long-term cost savings. For operators, fewer maintenance hours means improved aircraft availability and reduced downtime.
5. Supply Chain Advantages
The shift from metal to composite materials also unlocks new efficiencies across the aerospace supply chain:
• Lean Manufacturing: Composite manufacturing methods such as automated fiber placement (AFP) and resin transfer molding (RTM) allow for faster, more repeatable production cycles.
• Sustainability: Composites contribute to greener aviation by reducing fuel consumption and enabling lighter, more efficient aircraft. Additionally, composite manufacturing waste can be minimized through advanced nesting and additive layup techniques.
Strategic Value for Defense Programs
In defense aviation, the ability to upgrade existing fleets with composite components is particularly attractive. Retrofits can be performed during scheduled maintenance cycles, improving aircraft performance without requiring full fleet replacement. This approach supports readiness objectives while optimizing defense budgets.
Moreover, composite materials are increasingly integrated into stealth and survivability strategies due to their radar-absorbent properties and lower infrared signature, especially in fifth-generation fighter and next-gen unmanned systems.
Your Proven Partner
Axillon Aerospace specializes in the use of fiber-reinforced polymer composites, specialty polymers, and ceramics across the low- and high-temperature thermoset and thermoplastic spectrum.
Axillon has the unique ability to move from material selection into full production with streamlined processes and unique designs, manufacturing capabilities, and material science know-how. Axillon is a development partner from sketch to sky, providing everything from idea generation to feasibility evaluation to full development. Axillon Aerospace is your proven partner that enables you to move metal components to cheaper and stronger composite solutions.