JEC COMPOSITES MAGAZINE - Issue #36 - October 2007 - 20

BUSINESS Market survey: Germany EADS Augsburg, a historical site turned to the future Within the EADS group, the ninety-year-old Augsburg site represents a whole chapter of aeronautical history, all by itself. The aircraft from its production lines have left their imprint on their times. An essential player Augsburg make a crucial contribution to the promotion of new innovative materials and technologies for aircraft construction. This applies equally to aerostructural components for hybrid construction and to the development and production of trend-setting large CFRP components. The most important component within fuselage section assembly is the conical rear section (section 19), which is located between the end of the cabin and the last segment, where the auxiliary power unit is installed. Augsburg manufactures section 19 for all small Airbus models (A318 to A321) and for the two larger models A330 and A340. A further assembly processed here is the lower fuselage shell for all wide-body aircraft in the A330/A340 family. Augsburg also supplies the Boeing 787 rear pressure bulkhead to Vought. The portfolio of Aerostructures made in Augsburg covers all of the latest CFRP technologies, including infusion and prepreg applications. Augsburg has exceptional capabilities, not only in the T he Augsburg site is part of Military Air Systems, one of the four business units of the Defence & Security Division at EADS. The other business units are MBDA, Defence and Communications Systems, and Defence Electronics. The Defence & Security Division itself is one of five EADS group entities – including some very wellknown names, i.e. Airbus, Military Transport Aircraft, Eurocopter and EADS Astrium – that, with their wide array of extremely state-of-the-art skills, make up EADS. In 2006, the Military Air Systems business unit generated €2.1 billion, or a bit over 35% of the Defence & Security Division’s total turnover. The breakdown for the business activities of EADS Military Air Systems is as follows: 47% for military air systems integration, 29% for integrated services, 24% for military aerostructures, and civil aerostructures. The Military Air Systems business unit employs over 7,800 people at five different sites: one in Spain and four in Germany, including Augsburg. The EADS Augsburg site consists of three production units. It employs 2,500 people and generates €400 million in turnover. Augsburg plant processing of all raw materials, but also in the development and assembly of integrated hybrid constructions. Its design skills enable Augsburg to select the ideal combination of materials, right from the design phase. The focus here is on cost and weight reduction. Customers thus have the choice in a full range of materials, from classic aluminium through to titanium and carbon fibre. Composite skills One of the core skills in the production of high-tech components is the Vacuum Assisted Process (VAP) for the manufacture of CFRP components, a More information Nine decades of pioneering achievements The EADS Augsburg site celebrated its 90th anniversary last year. During these nine decades, the site has turned out many pioneering achievements for industrial aircraft production. It has been the source of many key innovations and developments in the history of German and international aircraft construction. Legendary products such as the Me 108, the Me 109 (more than 35,000 units produced), the Me 262, the vertical take-off aircraft VJ101, the Starfighter, the Tornado, the X-31A the Eurofighter, the A400M and the civilian Airbus A318 to A380 exemplify the unique success story of this aircraft production site. Recognized expertise As the leading system supplier for highlystressed structural components and the largest external supplier for the entire Airbus family, EADS Augsburg leads the business in all major European aerospace programmes. Aerostructures made in JEC Composites Magazine / No36 October - November 2007

JEC COMPOSITES MAGAZINE - Issue #36 - October 2007

Table of Contents for the Digital Edition of JEC COMPOSITES MAGAZINE - Issue #36 - October 2007