ÉireComposites is proud to announce its participation in the TOSCA project, led by Profactor in the quest for greener skies. The aerospace industry is increasingly turning to carbon and glass fibre composites to enhance fuel efficiency and performance. However, challenges in recycling and manufacturing these materials persist. Enter the TOSCA project aimed at revolutionising composite aircraft components through advanced manufacturing processes and digital tools.
Project Overview
Backed by €3.5 million from the European Union’s Horizon Europe Programme, TOSCA brings together eight European partners, including ÉireComposites, over a 36-month period. The consortium’s mission is to tackle the economic and technical hurdles associated with composite materials, paving the way for more sustainable aviation solutions.
Additionally, a full-scale sustainable and recyclable 13m wind turbine blade was designed, and manufactured successfully.
Key Objectives
The full-scale recyclable wind turbine blade was rigorously de-risked through a series of structural tests:
- Epoxy Vitrimer Resins
- Advanced Manufacturing: Establish cost-effective, out-of-autoclave processing methods for Vitrimer resins that offer enhanced repairability and recyclability while retaining the strengths of traditional thermoset resins.
- Inspection Systems and Health Monitoring
- Automation: Implement automated documentation for parts throughout their lifecycle.
- Integration: Develop systems that feed data into digital structures, facilitating comprehensive part digitalization.
- Innovative Processes
- Advanced Techniques: focus on automated fibre placement, welding, repair, and rework processes tailored to new materials.
- Digital Integration: Incorporate inspection data to achieve zero-defect manufacturing
Sustainable Impact
By advancing these areas, TOSCA aims to reduce CO₂ emissions, manufacturing waste, and noise pollution in aviation. The increased adoption of carbon fibre composites is expected to lower aircraft fuel consumption, while novel resins will enable the repair, reuse, and recycling of components. These efforts align with the industry’s goal of a 30% reduction in fuel burn and CO₂ emissions by 2035.
Project Partners
- PROFACTOR
- CIDETEC
- GMI AERO
- FIDAMC – Fundación para la Investigación
- Desarrollo y aplicación de los Materiales Compuestos)
- AIMEN Centro Tecnológico
- ITA · Instituto Tecnológico de Aragón,
- Addcomposites
EireComposites is proud to be part of this initiative, driving innovation in aerospace engineering and contributing to a more sustainable future. For more information, visit https://www.tosca-project.eu/
Funding and Support
The TOSCA project is funded by the European Union under the Horizon Europe Programme as part of the HORIZON-CL5-2024-D5-01
