Airborne and Airbus have been selected as a finalist for the JEC World Innovation Awards 2026 in the Aerospace – Process category. The recognition highlights the impact of Airborne’s Automated Ply Placement (APP) technology, which is deployed for the first time in a running production programme of Airbus. It is deployed and qualified at Airbus Getafe to produce RTM carbon preforms for the A350 fuselage beams and the door surround frame.

What the project delivers

At Airbus Getafe (Madrid), the APP cell combines automated cutting, robotic ply handling, machine vision and spot welding to make precise preforms with high output, minimal waste and high repeatability. The system is running in production, supports parts up to 3.5 metres, handles >100 different preforms per shipset and is designed for a rate of up to 13 aircraft per month. The deployment is approved for use in EASA-certified production and helps Airbus to increase rate and efficiency for composite manufacturing. It is regarded as a key milestone for further deployment of APP in Airbus programmes.

Why it matters

• Industrial first at Airbus: first use of this APP technology in a commercial aerospace production programme

• High-rate ready: fast and robust system, driven by an adaptive machine control philosophy, that deals with day-to-day changes and enables flexible recovery scenarios

• Automated recipe generation and recovery scenarios: reduces operator intervention and increases uptime

• Multi-material capable: handles different materials (carbon and glass, UD and fabric) in one system with uninterrupted production flow, benefitting from the multi-material capability of APP

• Quality and robustness: an adaptive process guided by sensors and advanced vision systems, with integrated process control, provides consistency and reduces waste

JEC World Innovation Awards

The JEC World Innovation Awards are considered the most prestigious awards for acknowledging industry-leading projects in the composites industry. To be selected as a finalist is a big honour and confirms the unique capabilities that are provided with Automated Ply Placement. It is a token of the industry adopting this new technology that automates manufacturing of the composite parts that for many years have proved notoriously difficult to automate. Automated Ply Placement is a technology that can be used both for greenfield and brownfield operations, where it is deployed into running production programmes.