Dufour Aerospace and 9T Labs enter into Partnership

Dufour Aerospace has selected 9T Labs as a supplier of structural composite fasteners such as brackets and hinges for the Aero2 unmanned tilt-wing aircraft.

Using parts manufactured using innovative additive manufacturing methods and advanced post-processing technologies, Dufour Aerospace will be able to further reduce the weight of the Aero2.

Zurich-based 9T Labs, founded in 2018, specializes in helping OEMs in the mobility sector develop carbon-neutral products. 9T Labs’ proprietary Red Series Additive Fusion Technology (AFT) enables the rapid production of optimized designs. This end-to-end process enables industry users to significantly reduce their time-to-market while minimizing financial risk. For more information, visit 9tlabs.com.

Dufour Aerospace develops efficient and ecological aircraft for different purposes. The design currently under development is based on the tilt-wing principle. The first product that Dufour Aerospace will launch is the Aero2, an unmanned aerial vehicle specifically designed to transport critical cargo. The Aero3, an eight-seat manned aircraft, is next on the company’s development list.

Simon Bendrey, Head of Design of Dufour Aerospace, says: “The importance of the smaller parts of an aircraft is often underestimated when it comes to contributing to weight. With 9T Labs, we have found a partner who is supporting us in exactly this critical area with surprisingly lightweight composite structural parts, without us having to make compromises in terms of durability and strength.”

Giovanni Cavolina, co-founder and CCO of 9T Labs, comments: “We are thrilled to join forces with Dufour Aerospace to advance sustainable aerial mobility by lightweighting critical brackets using unique, cutting edge technologies. Replacing a number of structural metal parts with highest performing thermoplastic composites will help Dufour Aerospace  achieve the ambitious weight targets for the Aero2 programme.”
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