The European pAIramid project will develop a virtual testing platform that will guide the design and processing of composite materials in the characterisation pyramid.
The GAIKER technology centre, a member of the Basque Research & Technology Alliance, BRTA, is participating in the European project on 'Al-based testing pyramid virtual certification of next-gen composite aerostructures', pAIramid.
This research, which began in 2024 and will last for 45 months, aims to advance tools and methodologies based on artificial intelligence (AI) to transform the design and manufacturing processes of aeronautical composite structures, using sustainable thermosetting and functionalised thermoplastic resins.
The aerospace industry faces major challenges when it comes to certifying composite aerostructures, as it is a complex and costly process based on the traditional pyramid framework, in which each level undergoes labour-intensive sequential testing from materials to complete aerostructures.
In order to provide a solution to these challenges, pAIramid will create a virtual testing platform to guide the design and processing at all levels of the characterisation pyramid (from the material specimen, the element, the component and the complete structure), optimising virtual certification, accelerating innovation and improving design decision-making. The project will also develop functionalised thermoset and thermoplastic resins and optimise the LRI (Liquid Resin Infusion) and FDM (Fused Deposition Modelling) manufacturing processes for the cost-effective and scalable production of complex functionalised parts..
This innovative approach seeks to replace costly physical testing with high-fidelity simulations and data-driven insights, making certification a more streamlined, efficient and connected process.
pAIramid involves 13 strategic partners from seven different countries, including GAIKER, an expert in the formulation and design of composites, whose role focuses on the development of functionalised thermoset resins and their characterisation for use in two of the four aerospace case studies in the project: in the structure of the aircraft door and in the front edge of the wing.
As part of the European Union's HORIZON programme, this research represents a crucial step towards the digital transformation of the European aerospace industry, setting a new standard for the development of more sustainable and efficient aircraft.
Project partners
The pAIramid project is made up of a consortium that includes research and technology centres, such as IKERLAN S. Coop. (project coordinator), GAIKER, IRT Jules Verne and INEGI, as well as prestigious universities, such as the University of Girona and Brunel University London. It also has industrial partners from the aerospace sector, such as Collins Aerospace-RTX, Turkish Aerospace, POTEZ Aeronautique and SOFITEC Aero, and companies specialising in consultancy and technological services such as MECA, LKS Next and Zabala Innovation Europe.
More information: https://pairamid.eu/
This project has received funding from the European Union's Horizon Europe research and innovation programme under grant agreement No. 101192736.
