Airbus and Fokker enter into strategic R&D partnership for Fibre Metal Laminate production

Airbus and Fokker Technologies, a division of GKN Aerospace, signed a Memorandum of Understanding for a strategic partnership in research development and automation of Fibre Metal Laminate (FML) production. FML is the second generation of a revolutionary lightweight material, consisting of alternate layers of bonded aluminum and glass fibre. The first generation (also known as Glare) has been very successfully applied on the upper fuselage and the vertical tail plane of the Airbus A380 since 2005. Smart automated production technology and the next generation of fibres are the main characteristics of the intended development. Smart automated and robotized production technology will enable high volume production rates and increase affordability for OEM’s.