CES Advanced Composites UK Completes the Next Step in Developing Recyclable Composite Cabin Interiors

Press Release / 2024

Seating component specialist CES Advanced Composites UK has completed the next step in its development of recyclable composite cabin interiors.

CES recently finished a development project at the Materials Engineering Centre at Warwick University – WMG, part of the UK’s HVM Catapult network. The project was spearheaded by Mike (Jaffa) Orange, CES’s Global Development Director, and was funded by Innovate UK under its Edge Funding scheme.

Weight Saving and Recycling

Weight reduction stands as a paramount concern in aircraft cabin interiors. CES recognises that every gram spared translates to reduced fuel consumption, lower emissions and enhanced profitability for operators. While conventional virgin thermoset composites excel in weight saving, their end-of-life fate often leads to landfill, a concern CES aims to address through recycling. The initiative aligns with a triple bottom-line ethos, emphasising benefits to the planet, people and profit.

Five Material States

The project goals were to trial mould each material type, establish a physical property for each one and fire test them all. Five material states were down-selected that could be realised in a circular economy (re-purposing materials after use).

The material types were: long fibre uni-directional tape for ultimate weight saving (such as seatbacks), through woven cloth for strong, tough laminates, chips for hot forging (replacing milling solid metallic billets), non-woven fleece (great for moulding complicated shapes where improved drapeability is required) and finally through to a pellet product that can be injection moulded into shrouds, cover pieces and stiffening ribs.

Partners to Take the Technology to Market

With this critical phase successfully completed, CES is now actively seeking collaborations with forward-thinking customers eager to pioneer real-life applications and propel this groundbreaking technology to market. The endeavour signifies a pivotal moment in the aviation industry’s sustainability journey, promising a future where recyclable composite materials redefine the standards of eco-conscious design in aircraft interiors.

Mike (Jaffa) Orange