AI for Next Generation Composite Airframe Design: Key Takeaways from the International Composites Summit

The team recently concluded an exciting session at the International Composites Summit at Wembley, focusing on AI for Next Generation Composite Airframe Design. It was inspiring to connect with industry leaders and discuss the critical role of artificial intelligence in shaping the future of aerospace.

The Challenge > Complexity and Constraints

The aerospace industry is undergoing a rapid evolution, driven by the emergence of Advanced Air Mobility (AAM), Unmanned Aerial Vehicles (UAVs), 6th generation fighters, eVTOL (electric Vertical Take-Off and Landing), and eCTOL (electric Conventional Take-Off and Landing) platforms.

• This expansion introduces increasing structural complexity in modern airframe programs.
• Unfortunately, traditional composite design workflows are struggling to keep pace with today’s intense pressure on cost, lead time, and certification.

The Solution > Harnessing AI Power

AI offers transformative capabilities that can significantly support engineers and streamline the composite development process. We explored how AI can enable:

• Smarter material selection: Using data-driven insights to choose optimal composite constituents.
• Generative layup design: Automatically generating efficient and complex fiber orientations.
• Automated Nondestructive Testing (NDT): Accelerating inspection and quality assurance.
• Digital Twins: Creating virtual representations for real-time monitoring and predictive maintenance.

Overcoming Adoption Hurdles

Despite the immense potential, the adoption of AI in aerospace faces specific challenges:

• Limited data: Scarce and proprietary datasets, especially for new materials and processes.
• Composite complexity: The anisotropic and heterogeneous nature of composites makes modeling challenging.
• Certification integration: Integrating AI-driven design outputs into rigorous aerospace certification pathways.

Tooling: The Core Opportunity

A critical insight highlighted during the summit is that tooling sits at the center of the composite development ecosystem and remains one of the biggest opportunities for improvement.

This is where Plyable’s platform offers a powerful advantage:

• Plyable’s AI powered tooling platform is designed to accelerate design cycles, reduce risk, and shorten procurement timelines for composite tooling.

AI in Action: A Case Study

We presented a compelling case study demonstrating the impact of AI-assisted trade-offs. The technology helped transform an initial, unmanufacturable drone concept into a production-ready design, proving the practical, real-world value of intelligent design support.

Written by Joshua England

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Next Steps

We had fantastic discussions across the two days and it was great to see the industry pushing forward with innovation and collaboration.

If you would like to discuss the future of composite development, AI integration, or tooling strategies, the team would be happy to connect!