At the Paris Air Show, the HELUES project perfectly illustrates thermoplastic solutions with a new demonstrator, a complex structural component for an overwing emergency exit door, and is the result of a multi-partner collaboration aimed at revolutionizing how aerospace components are manufactured for the next generation of high-rate aircraft production.

In 2018, Hexcel and Arkema have signed a strategic alliance to develop thermoplastic composite solutions for the aerospace sector combining the expertise of Hexcel in carbon fiber and that of Arkema in PEKK. At Paris Air Show, Hexcel has spotlighted its latest advancements in thermoplastic composite technology by showcasing a highly innovative PEKK/carbon thermoplastics component developed as part of the HELUES project.

As global demand surges for more efficient and scalable aircraft manufacturing, particularly for single-aisle jets, Hexcel and its HELUES partners are helping OEMs address critical production challenges through new material and process innovations.

Arkema and Hexcel to pioneer a new manufacturing process using high-temperature thermoplastics.

At the core of the HELUES technology is a one-step forming and injection overmolding technology that utilizes HexPly unidirectional (UD) carbon fiber-reinforced Kepstan PEKK tapes in conjunction with Kepstan PEKK injection molding compounds. This integrated approach enables the rapid creation of a fully formed, structurally complex component, including reinforcing ribs and functional elements, in less than two minutes.

The HELUES demonstrator directly replaces a traditionally assembled door structure with a single, integrated part, reducing component count and assembly steps by up to 90%. Early-stage testing confirmed excellent material bonding between molded ribs and thermoformed laminates, further supporting the part’s viability in demanding aerospace environments.

With the commercial aviation sector preparing for a future defined by high-rate production and more automated, sustainable assembly lines, thermoplastics are gaining momentum as a material of choice. By reducing reliance on energy-intensive autoclaves and enabling robotic manufacturing processes, solutions like the HELUES component demonstrate how composite innovation can unlock both performance and production scalability for the next generation of aircraft.

The HELUES project, funded by the German Aerospace Centre and supported by the Bavarian State Ministry of Economic Affairs, brought together Airbus Helicopters Deutschland GmbH, Neue Materialien Bayreuth GmbH, Christian Karl Siebenwurst GmbH & Co. KG, Incoe corporation.