VIDEO: Installing the world’s largest thermoplastic composites press at Airbus Bremen
At JEC World 2025, Pinette PEI detailed its latest turnkey system for future aircraft serial parts production.
Pinette PEI (Chalon-sur-Saône, France) has installed what is reported to be the “world’s largest thermoplastic composites press” at Airbus in Bremen, Germany. The press area can apply 30,000 kilonewtons (3,000 tons) of force across a 2 × 5-meter area for stamp forming and co-consolidation of parts such as aircraft wing ribs, door surrounds and fuselage parts.
It is part of a turnkey cell which includes blank holding, two infrared ovens and a shuttle system which transfers heated blanks into tools — from oven to full pressure in the tool — within 5 seconds or less. The cell also includes heating and transfer of tools in and out of the press, including an energy capture system where hot tools conduct heat into cold tools instead of the air around the cell.
Design, manufacturing and installation of such turnkey cells requires 2-3 years depending on the scale and customer requirements. Pinette PEI also offers a full range of turnkey cells and presses for thermoset prepreg stamping and resin transfer molding (RTM) of composite parts.
Read more “Pinette commissions large-scale stamp-forming press for TPCs.”
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