Daher, Tarmac Aerosave, and Toray Advanced Composites have launched a joint program to recycle end-of-life parts made from thermoplastic composites. This initiative aims to reduce aviation’s environmental footprint, with thermoplastics being a small but growing portion of an aircraft’s weight. The program focuses on recycling thermoplastic parts, specifically the A380 pylon cover, which is made from Toray Cetex TC1100, a thermoplastic composite structure. By melting the resin, the valuable carbon fiber reinforcement can be recovered and repurposed for other structural aeronautical applications. The three companies aim to create methodologies for recycling, repurposing, and reprocessing thermoplastic composites. Airbus provides a framework for reusing the material, while Tarmac ensures components are dismantled without damage. Daher leads the reshaping and quality validation of repurposed parts, and Toray monitors material quality for second-life applications. The A380, with over 10,000 flying parts made from thermoplastic composites, serves as an ideal platform for testing and validating recycled material recovery practices. The joint program marks progress towards aviation’s goal of reducing its environmental footprint.
