Lightweight Construction and Safety in Aerospace
In aerospace engineering, precision, safety, and lightweight construction are among the key requirements of modern materials technology. HELD Technologie provides the decisive production solutions: our isobaric double belt presses enable the continuous manufacturing of high-performance thermoplastic composites, laminates, and fiber-reinforced semi-finished products used in structural and interior components of aircraft, satellites, and space systems. Our systems produce materials for floor and side panels, seat shells, cladding systems, lightweight structures, and functional components — in other words, wherever maximum strength with minimum weight is required. Thanks to precise temperature and pressure profiles, HELD double belt presses ensure consistently high material quality and process stability. This is crucial for safety-relevant applications in aviation. Thermoplastic composites and laminated semi-finished products are widely used to reduce weight, increase strength, and at the same time comply with fire protection and safety standards.
Typical Components
Fuselage and structural components: Carbon fiber-reinforced panels for outer skins and secondary structures, reinforcements within the fuselage.
Interior components: Partition walls, seat shells, seat back panels, overhead luggage compartments, sandwich-structured floor panels, sidewall cladding.
Doors & hatches: Inner shells of passenger doors, maintenance access panels.
Satellite & space components: Structural panels for payload carriers, panels in satellite housings, solar panel support structures, lightweight shielding (e.g. EMI and thermal).
Which one is the ideal production technology for your application?
In our exclusive white paper series, we compare the performance of different pressing processes such as calendering, static and continuous pressing with our isobaric continuous pressing process for different materials such as fuel cell components, composites, etc..
In addition to specialty materials, standard thermoplastics such as polyethylene (PE), polypropylene (PP), polystyrene (PS), and polyvinyl chloride (PVC) also play a major role in industrial processing. These materials are versatile in application and cost-effective to manufacture.
Thermoplastics are processed using methods such as extrusion or thermoforming — proven technologies that are ideally suited for series production and customized components.
The component shown represents a prototype of a typical carbon fiber-reinforced structural part as used in the aerospace industry. It serves as a lightweight, high-strength connecting element within aircraft structures and can be used, for example, as a frame, stringer, or bracket component in fuselage, wing, or interior structures.
After production in the double belt press, the semi-finished product is precisely cut, drilled, and milled before being bonded or riveted to other structural components. Such parts make a significant contribution to weight reduction, strength, and efficiency in modern aircraft design.
Fiber-Reinforced Plastics and Composites
A particular focus lies on glass fiber-reinforced plastics, carbon fibers, and plastics combined with carbon fabric. These materials offer an outstanding strength-to-weight ratio. In combination with processes such as layer lamination, highly resilient components are produced for demanding applications. Key issues for aircraft manufacturers and aviation stakeholders include energy consumption and the CO₂ footprint of aircraft. High-performance materials such as carbon fiber make a decisive contribution thanks to their physical performance and lightweight properties.
Prepregs and organo sheets are key semi-finished products for lightweight and composite applications.
In satellite technology, materials are required that ensure the highest levels of precision, tightness, and thermal stability. With HELD double belt presses, multi-layer film laminates can be produced for use as membranes in satellite tanks and space systems.
These film laminates made from high-performance thermoplastics meet stringent requirements in terms of gas tightness, chemical resistance, and mechanical flexibility. They are often combined with metallic layers. Propellant and pressurized gas are reliably separated — even under extreme temperature and pressure conditions in orbit. Thanks to precisely controlled temperature, pressure, and belt guidance, HELD double belt presses ensure a uniform layer structure and exact material thicknesses. This is crucial for the functional reliability of satellite membranes and tank systems. The technology is also suitable for manufacturing reflector membranes, insulation films, and structural multilayers used in communication, Earth observation, and navigation satellites.
With state-of-the-art systems, HELD Technologie provides the foundation for customized, space-qualified film laminates — perfectly combining lightweight construction, reliability, and precision in satellite manufacturing.
HELD – Your Partner for Innovative Composite Materials
Whether composites, engineering plastics, or high-performance polymers: HELD offers you a broad range of solutions. With our expertise in thermoplastics, fiber-reinforced plastics, and innovative laminating processes, we develop materials that set new standards. Request a sample production now – without obligation.