Biological transformation along the product life cycle considering ecological sustainability, costs and performance by using graph-based design language
Hello Maximilian,
thank you for the stimulating presentation dealing with aspects of the emerging paradigm of Biological Transformation in Manufacturing.
With reference to the presented use case, given by the design and manufacture of a beam structure made of composite materials for aeronautical application, I wonder if you could mention some specific material with biological characteristics that could be selected for the product development.
It would also be interesting to know whether this possible selection can generate a viable solution in comparison with the more traditional solutions generated by “artificial” materials like carbon fibre reinforce plastic composites.
Thank you!
Dear Alessandra,
thank you for your feedback and question!
There is a large variety of natural fibers like hemp, flax or sisal and also bio-based polymers. While natural fibers do not offer the same modulus and strength as carbon fibers of course, a more substantial problem is the variation in material performance of natural fibers. Another challenge is the limited availability of material test data. We are currently evaluating some bio-based variants but cannot present results at this point. Stay tuned!
Thank you for your detailed answer. Actually, hemp fibers are currently employed in the automotive industry, e.g. for car interiors. As you suggest, aeronautical applications will certainly require further investigation to verify material performance. I look forward to learning about your forthcoming results!
Hello Maximilian,
thank you for the stimulating presentation dealing with aspects of the emerging paradigm of Biological Transformation in Manufacturing.
With reference to the presented use case, given by the design and manufacture of a beam structure made of composite materials for aeronautical application, I wonder if you could mention some specific material with biological characteristics that could be selected for the product development.
It would also be interesting to know whether this possible selection can generate a viable solution in comparison with the more traditional solutions generated by “artificial” materials like carbon fibre reinforce plastic composites.
Thank you!
Dear Alessandra,
thank you for your feedback and question!
There is a large variety of natural fibers like hemp, flax or sisal and also bio-based polymers. While natural fibers do not offer the same modulus and strength as carbon fibers of course, a more substantial problem is the variation in material performance of natural fibers. Another challenge is the limited availability of material test data. We are currently evaluating some bio-based variants but cannot present results at this point. Stay tuned!
Thank you for your detailed answer. Actually, hemp fibers are currently employed in the automotive industry, e.g. for car interiors. As you suggest, aeronautical applications will certainly require further investigation to verify material performance. I look forward to learning about your forthcoming results!