VIDEO: KAI scales thermoplastic composites for next-gen aircraft
A snapshot video by ThermoForged and accompanying content published by CW platform details Korea Aerospace Industries’ TPC journey as a high-rate Tier 1 single-aisle, eVTOL airframe supplier.
Korea Aerospace Industries (KAI, Sacheon, South Korea), with expertise scaling up large composite primary aerostructures, is preparing for the possible use of thermoplastic composite (TPC) structures in future aircraft.
KAI developed large-scale TPC demonstrators, such as a 3- × 2-meter fuselage section and a wing skin section plus torsion box, using processes including automated fiber placement (AFP), oven consolidation and welding. These achieved low porosity (<1%), high fiber volume fractions (58-60%) and recyclability, enabling faster production cycles compared to traditional autoclave methods.
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