The Horizon Europe-funded GENEX project concludes its 42‑month mission with a high‑profile event from Feb. 17-18, 2026, located at the Instituto Tecnológico de Aragón (ITA) in Zagaroza, Spain. The event will bring together researchers, industry experts and aviation stakeholders, and includes a technical visit to Teruel Airport. Participants will explore GENEX’s achievements in digital transformation, eco‑efficient composites manufacturing and intelligent repair technologies for next‑gen aircraft structures.

The final event will feature thematic sessions on sustainable manufacturing, aerostructure monitoring and digitalized repair. The visit to Teruel Airport provides real‑world context for GENEX’s solutions and their relevance to operational aviation environments.

Coordinated by the ITA, GENEX partners set out in 2022 to create an end‑to‑end digital framework spanning design, manufacturing, structural health monitoring (SHM), repair and life cycle management. This integrated multidisciplinary digital twin synchronizes physical aerostructures with real‑time virtual models, supporting predictive maintenance, enhanced performance assessment and more sustainable operational strategies across an aircraft’s life cycle.

The project resulted in breakthrough innovations across three technological pillars:

(1) Eco-efficient, smart composites manufacturing

GENEX partners demonstrated several solutions that raise the bar for digitalized, energy-efficient composites manufacturing:

• A novel out-of-autoclave (OOA) process for carbon fiber‑reinforced composites using 3R resin, combining thermoset durability with thermoplastic‑like recyclability.
• Embedded fiber optic sensors (FOS) enabling real‑time monitoring during manufacturing and in service.
• AI‑enhanced multiphysics simulations for optimizing AFP and ensuring improved curing behavior and material crystallinity.
• An inline terahertz spectroscopy system offering continuous insights into cure progression and composite quality.

Together, these advancements support more efficient production of recyclable composite structures and greater process intelligence.

GENEX Final Event, Day 1: A round table on “Challenges for adopting new recyclable materials and manufacturing technologies in aviation” will take place with Ibón Aranberri (Cidetec), Massimiliano Rusello (Aimen), Hubert Roman Wasik (Aernnova) and Matthew Frost (Teijin Carbon Europe GmbH).

(2) Integrated health and usage monitoring of aerostructures

GENEX developed a next‑gen health and usage monitoring and management (HUM&M) system powered by data‑driven, physics‑based analytics:

• A high‑performance, FEM‑based multiphysics solver tailored for ultrasonic guided waves (UGW).
• Deep learning models capable of detecting and characterizing delamination damage with high accuracy.
• Virtual sensor networks and prototype sensor nodes designed for complex composite geometries.
• Advanced methods for assessing fracture propagation and high‑fidelity damage modeling in both thermoplastics and GENEX’s new laminate systems.

These innovations significantly improve early damage detection, reliability and the long‑term management of composite structures, while reducing inspection time and maintenance costs.

GENEX Final Event, Day 1: A round table on “The future of health monitoring systems in aviation” will take place with Lukasz Ambrozinski (AGH), Federico Martín de la Escalera (Aernnova), Krzysztof Dragan (Air Force Institute of Technology, Warsaw) and Andreas Krenz (IFAM-Fraunhofer).

(3) Digitally assisted repair tools for high‑quality composite maintenance

GENEX delivered an integrated suite of digital tools to modernize composite repair:

• The visual assisted scarfing (VAS) system, enabling technicians to perform precise scarf repairs through real‑time geometry projection.
• A dual‑mode, laser‑induced breakdown spectroscopy (LIBS) module for contamination detection and targeted laser cleaning.
• An advanced thermal repair planning application offering real‑time virtual heat maps and improved temperature control.
• Novel crack detection and crack‑arrest solutions, including fiber optic strain tracking and low‑temperature‑capable sensing materials.

These technologies support faster, safer and more traceable repair operations aligned with future MRO needs.

Lifecycle assessment, MRO roadmapping and certification readiness

GENEX conducted comprehensive environmental and economic evaluations through life cycle assessment (LCA) and life cycle cost (LCC) studies, including benchmarking of carbon fiber/3R and carbon fiber/PEKK laminates. A revised MRO assessment compared traditional processes with digitally enhanced GENEX workflows, identifying efficiency gains and potential certification pathways.

Regulatory alignment has been supported through engagement with the EASA, Lufthansa Technical Training, Tarmac Aerosave and participation in the CACRC. These interactions help position GENEX innovations for future certification and large‑scale industry adoption.

GENEX Final Event, Day 1: A eound table on “Impact of digitalization in aviation: sustainability, maintenance, certification” with George Kanterakis (GMI Aero), Andreas Meyer (LTT), Naresh Solipur (Ziegler), Miguel Angel Paz (Tarmac) and Francisco Ansedes (Boeing).