Aerospace Propulsion
Accelerate engine programs to meet record demand while cutting costs.
What Are the Trends Changing the Aerospace Propulsion Landscape?
The history of aerospace propulsion is marked by significant milestones, from the Wright brothers' first powered flight to the development of supersonic jets and reusable rockets. Advances in materials, such as carbon fiber composites, have reduced the weight and increased the strength of propulsion systems. Innovations in engineering, such as additive manufacturing, have streamlined production processes and improved the performance of engines. Technological and environmental leaps are reshaping the industry. What are they and how will they affect your business and plans for development?
- Sustainable Propulsion Systems
- New Manufacturing Processes
- Operations Support
Accelerating Hydrogen Transition
Decarbonizing aviation is now on the agenda of every executive in the aerospace industry.
Sustainable Propulsion Systems
How do you reduce carbon footprint for the industry through engine innovation?
The number of airplanes projected to be flying in the next 10 years is set to double. Aerospace and defense companies need cleaner aircraft to meet greenhouse emissions targets. Propulsion companies are developing more efficient propulsion engines and systems using cleaner fuels and lighter components. For instance, the use of alternative fuels such as biofuels and hydrogen is being explored to replace conventional jet fuel. Additionally, advancements in aerodynamics and lightweight materials are contributing to more efficient flight.
Electric propulsion systems are gaining traction due to their potential to reduce carbon emissions significantly. Hybrid systems are also being developed to combine the benefits of electric and traditional propulsion, offering improved fuel efficiency and reduced environmental impact.
Significant improvements have already been achieved through various technological innovations (new materials, optimized design and manufacturing, etc.). Many more are still needed to achieve the objectives defined by the International Civil Aviation Organization (ICAO). Thus, new architectures are being developed and new sources of energy are envisioned to build the air travel of the future.
Unlocking the Potential of Hydrogen in Aviation: Trends and Challenges
Discover the trends and challenges of hydrogen in aviation with Dr. Lisa Belkhichane, Aerospace and Defense industry sustainability value expert at Dassault Systèmes.
New Manufacturing Processes
How do you optimize manufacturing to meet market demands?
Manufacturers of both rocket and aircraft engines must ramp up production rates to meet record backlog from commercial and defense orders, while at the same time protecting themselves from supply chain and demand shocks and from international turmoil.
Aside from achieving the manufacturing agility needed to meet their delivery targets, they also need to reduce their overall carbon footprint while meeting the challenges of manufacturing highly complex systems.
For example, using advanced manufacturing technology such as carbon fiber composites and additive manufacturing, allows companies to reduce the complexity of assemblies and to deliver them with greater efficiency and improved quality. But many other solutions need to be found in order to reach the level of performance intended. For example, advancements in materials science and engineering have led to the development of new propulsion technologies. These include plasma propulsion and ion thrusters, which offer high efficiency and are being considered for deep space missions.
Safran Transmission Systems
Safran Transmission Systems chose Dassault Systèmes’ 3DEXPERIENCE platform including the Co-Design to Target industry solution experience to deliver digital continuity across all product-related.
Operations Support
How to support the transformation of the aftersales market
On one hand, there is the willingness of propulsion manufacturers to regain control of the lucrative business of aftersales and operations support while airlines disengaged from such activities in order to rationalize their cost structure. On the other hand, new technologies such as embarked sensors, advanced analytics, intelligent spare parts management and predictive maintenance can be effectively leveraged to improve overall product performance in operation, increase time on wing and reduce total cost of operations.
This is leading to one of the biggest shifts of the past decade with the increase of the number of “Power-by-the-Hour” type of deals where the OEMs gains deeper insight on the behavior of it product in operations in return for bearing the risks associated to the functioning of their engines.
The Sky-High Route to Low-Carbon Aviation
Optimize low-carbon aircraft innovations and decarbonize your value chain from end to end with the Virtual Twin Experience on a single integrated platform.
The Future of Aerospace Propulsion
The future of aerospace propulsion lies in the continued pursuit of technological innovation and sustainability. Researchers and engineers are exploring advanced concepts such as supersonic and hypersonic propulsion, which could revolutionize air travel by drastically reducing flight times. Moreover, the integration of artificial intelligence and advanced analytics into propulsion systems promises to enhance performance, reliability, and maintenance efficiency.
FAQ
Aerospace propulsion refers to the mechanisms and processes that generate the thrust necessary to move an aircraft or spacecraft through the air or space. The basic principle involves the expulsion of mass at high velocity in one direction to produce a reactive force in the opposite direction, following Newton's Third Law of Motion. This force, or thrust, propels the vehicle forward.
There are different types of propulsion systems, for example: Jet Propulsion, rocket engines, electric and hybrid propulsion.
Jet propulsion is a common method used in both commercial and military aircraft. It operates by expelling a high-speed jet of gas to produce thrust. This category includes turbofan engines, which are widely used in commercial aviation due to their high efficiency and ability to operate over long distances.
Rocket engines are used primarily for space exploration. They operate on the principle of expelling combustion gases at high velocity. Rockets carry both fuel and an oxidizer, allowing them to function in the vacuum of space. They are characterized by their powerful thrust and ability to operate outside earth's atmosphere.
Electric propulsion systems use electrical energy to generate thrust. They are being explored as a sustainable alternative to traditional propulsion methods. Hybrid systems combine conventional jet engines with electric propulsion to enhance efficiency and reduce emissions.
Discover our Customer Stories
Develop and Design Tomorrow’s Sustainable Propulsion Systems
Get knowledge on how to accelerate engine development programs from concept to manufacturing: