Both Autodesk and Airbus are committed to advancing cutting-edge technologies to foster innovation and a more sustainable world. It’s no surprise, therefore, that these two giants have joined forces to transform how things will be manufactured and constructed in the aerospace sector of the near future.
At Autodesk University in Las Vegas, Airbus revealed details about its innovative use of generative design to address complex engineering, architectural, and systems challenges. Solving these challenges will lead to smarter, more efficient, and more economical operations, while better catering to the needs of their workforce and reducing the environmental impact of air travel.
Generative design is not only inspiring the future of aerospace but also revolutionizing the way factories operate. Airbus is rethinking multiple structural aircraft components, applying Autodesk's generative design to create lighter-weight parts that surpass performance and safety standards. In an industry where reduced weight translates to lower fuel consumption, this approach presents a significant opportunity to mitigate the adverse effects of air travel on the environment.
Beyond aircraft parts, Airbus is exploring how generative design can optimize the processes and spaces involved in their production. They are designing adaptable, DGNB and LEED-certified factories with streamlined logistics to enhance employee working conditions and productivity.
One of the most notable projects is the Bionic Partition 2.0. Back in 2015, Airbus introduced its first generative design proof-of-concept, the "bionic partition," a modernized version of the wall and jumpseat support structure dividing the passenger cabin from the galley. The initial design was impressive—45% lighter than traditional parts yet equally strong. Airbus estimated that implementing this design across its backlog of A320 planes could save nearly half a million metric tons of CO2 emissions annually.
Originally, the plan was to fabricate the partition using metal additive manufacturing. However, due to various market and material constraints, an alternative fabrication process was necessary. Fortunately, Autodesk's generative design technology has evolved, now capable of optimizing for multiple advanced manufacturing techniques during the product development phase. For Airbus, this meant creating a plastic 3D-printed mold for the partition, which was then cast in an alloy already approved for flight. Bionic Partition 2.0 maintains the strength and lightness of its predecessor but can be produced at scale more affordably.
"The revised design makes the bionic partition much more viable for production. The first prototype is in production, which we hope to complete before the end of the year," said Bastian Schaefer, the Airbus designer leading the collaboration with Autodesk. "The process and technology have evolved to where we can now manufacture multiple units at a considerably lower cost."
Airbus is also leveraging generative design to rethink other structural aircraft components, including the leading edge of the vertical tail plane (VTP) of the A320. The VTP provides directional stability and reduces aerodynamic inefficiency caused by side-to-side movement. Generative design is enabling the team to evaluate hundreds of design alternatives that meet objectives for VTP stiffness, stability, and mass.
Encouraged by the success of generative design in aircraft components, Airbus began exploring its application to factory design and workflow optimization earlier this year. They focused on an assembly line for A350 wings, where significant human labor and multiple tools were required. The aim was to configure a single factory bay to handle multiple wing variations from different generations of the A350, with optimal tool locations and travel paths, minimizing congestion and bottlenecks.
Airbus is now considering similar concepts for other production hangars, aiming to assemble engines more quickly with more efficient logistical flows and a happier workforce. The ultimate goal is to create a factory that is both expandable and adaptable to meet current and future needs.
To guide the generative design process, the team identified ten key constraints, some prioritized more heavily than others, such as efficiency and cost. These included lot efficiency, construction cost, sustainability, employee work conditions, logistics flow, customer experience, daylight, and flexibility.
Generative design offered two potential paths: a larger building with an unconventional footprint or the same factory elements optimized into a smaller rectangular footprint. "Generative design is helping us create a more sustainable architectural design that better accounts for critical human factors and work conditions," said Schaefer. "It has also expanded our way of thinking and our approach to design by overcoming preconceived notions and blind spots. Whichever design we choose, we know the factory will function more efficiently and will be less costly to build."
For Airbus, the future of manufacturing and building is here.
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