A new approach to making passenger aircraft doors is dramatically speeding up production—reducing the time needed from over 100 hours to just 4.
This leap forward comes from switching to modern materials and automating much of the assembly process, as demonstrated by the TAVieDA project led by Fraunhofer IWU in partnership with Fraunhofer LBF, Trelleborg, and Airbus Helicopters.
Traditionally, aircraft doors are built mostly by hand, using materials like aluminum, titanium, and thermosets.
Because these materials can corrode when in contact, several extra steps are needed to keep them apart, making the process long and complex.
These doors are also held together using screws and rivets, which adds even more time.
Now, engineers have replaced most of those materials with thermoplastic carbon fiber-reinforced plastics (CFRP), which don’t corrode when joined and can be welded together quickly.
This change allows the assembly to be done by machines instead of people and removes the need for separating layers.
As a result, building the door structure is significantly faster and more efficient.
Another key innovation is the modular design of the doors. The project team examined different aircraft door types to find common parts that could be standardized.
They succeeded with components like the crossbeam, allowing the same automated equipment to assemble various door models.
The team developed specialized fixtures and clamping systems that work with modern welding technologies like resistance and ultrasonic welding.
According to Dr. Rayk Fritzsche, who led the project at Fraunhofer IWU, the team closely worked with Airbus to redesign the door components for automation.
Now, most steps are fully automated, and human workers are only needed to install the locking mechanisms.
Two identical assembly lines ensure that production doesn’t stop if one line needs maintenance.
The system can also switch between door models at the end of each shift with minimal downtime, allowing for high flexibility and scalability. With the ability to produce up to 4,000 doors per year, this new method brings big production advantages.
But does this level of automation make financial sense? To find out, Maxi Grobis from Fraunhofer IWU built a detailed simulation model, looking at everything from technical risks to energy use and long-term equipment costs.
The team didn’t just focus on saving labor costs—they looked at the bigger picture, including how to get the most out of the investment in machines over time.
In the end, the answer was clear: the new system is not only faster but also makes solid financial sense. Grobis’s simulation approach even shortened planning time by 25%.
By thinking through every aspect from the start, the team avoided costly changes later on and delivered a smart, sustainable solution for the future of aircraft manufacturing.
