How Are Cracks and Other Damages Detected in the Aerospace Industry? 

The aerospace industry has increasingly adopted composite materials for their exceptional stiffness-to-weight ratio. However, these advanced materials present unique challenges, particularly in terms of failure modes, such as delamination and interlaminar damage, which are often invisible to the naked eye.

To address this, GENEX introduces a cutting-edge Structural Health Monitoring (SHM) system designed to:

• Monitor delamination length in recyclable 3R composite tapes.
• Employ Ultrasonic Guided Wave (UGW) inspection for accurate and non-invasive damage detection.

A key innovation in this system is the use of Piezoelectric Wafer Active Sensors (PWAS), which significantly enhance inspection capabilities. This technology is being explored in depth by Javier Hernández Oliván from ITA · Instituto Tecnológico de Aragón.

Download the presentation slides to learn more.

GENEX’s Repair Technologies Take the Spotlight 

On April 3rd, the latest advancements in GENEX repair technologies were presented to the Commercial Aircraft Composite Repair Committee (CACRC), with special thanks to Andreas Meyer and George Kanterakis for their contributions. The hybrid session was expertly coordinated by Jens Kosmann from the German Aerospace Center (DLR).

The session, titled "Main Committee," featured a series of compelling presentations that highlighted the innovative strides being made in composite repair:

• George Kanterakis (GMI AERO): Insights into EU-funded R&D and his role on the GENEX Advisory Board
• Andrea Calvo-Echenique, PhD (ITA): Comprehensive overview of the GENEX Project
• Jens Kosmann (DLR): Development of a visual assistance system for composite repair machining
• David Diego-Vallejo (AIMEN): Introduction of a laser-ablation system with LIBS for advanced surface preparation
• Rafael Rodríguez Barrachina (ITA): Digital transformation in composite repair heating
• Andreas Meyer (Lufthansa Technical Training GmbH): Delivered the closing remarks

This showcase underscored GENEX’s commitment to revolutionizing composite repair through digital innovation, sustainability, and cross-institutional collaboration.

Shaping the future of aviation manufacturing: The GENEX approach (S01, E04) - Final Episode of Season 1

In the final episode of Season 1, Jose M. Royo, work package leader, and Carlos Mallor Turón from ITA · Instituto Tecnológico de Aragón share insights into their roles within the GENEX project. Their contributions highlight the collaborative innovation driving the future of composite repair technologies.

You can catch up on all previous episodes by visiting the full video series here.

Don’t forget to subscribe to the GENEX YouTube channel to stay updated on the exciting developments coming in Season 2.

Celebrating the Ultrasonic Guided Wave Prototype

On May 12, a dynamic in-person technical meeting took place at ITA · Instituto Tecnológico de Aragón, where CSEM unveiled the prototype developed under Work Package 3 (WP3) for Ultrasonic Guided Wave (UGW) monitoring. The session included a series of tests to evaluate the prototype’s functionality and its sensitivity to detecting structural damage, marking a significant milestone in the project’s progress.

To learn more about WP3 and the UGW technology, explore the details in GENEX Newsletter Issue 1: Read the newsletter.

Special thanks to Mario Sánchez Miguel (ITA), Robin Berguerand (CSEM), and Jose M. Royo (ITA) for their dedication, and to Viviane Louzada Wisniewski for her valuable remote support.

AIMEN AERO Presents GENEX Innovations

The AIMEN Centro Tecnológico AERO event—organized and hosted at AIMEN's facilities in collaboration with Tekniker—served as a platform to showcase key advancements from the GENEX project.

During the event, David Diego-Vallejo presented the final version of AIMEN’s portable LIBS module, a pivotal outcome of the GENEX initiative. This module is designed for verifying surface preparation in scarf repairs and was demonstrated as:

• A stand-alone analytical tool with robust functionality
• Seamlessly integrated with laser cleaning technology
• A valuable digital aid in the composite repair process
• Specifically targeted for applications in aviation composite material repairs

For more information about the event, visit aero.aimen.es

CIDETEC Presents the Future of Sustainable Materials at ECP4 Conference 2025 – Lyon, France

On May 14th, at the ECP4 Conference in Lyon, Elena Jubete from CIDETEC presented groundbreaking advancements in 3R technology, emphasizing its transformative potential across multiple research initiatives. Among the highlighted projects was GENEX, where 3R materials are playing a key role in promoting sustainability and innovation in aerospace applications.

We can check out the presentation here for a sneak peek into how circularity is transformed into reality.

GENEX at the Paris Air Show 2025: Showcasing Innovation Through Collaboration

At the International Paris Air Show 2025, a promotional video will spotlight the collaborative achievements of six groundbreaking EU projects that are driving the sustainable digital transformation of European aviation manufacturing. This joint initiative brings together:

• DOMMINIO Project, coordinated by Pablo Romero Rodríguez, PhD
• INFINITE - EU Project, coordinated by Peio Olaskoaga
• MORPHO H2020, coordinated by Mechbal Nazih
• CAELESTIS - Next Generation Aircraft, coordinated by Cristian Builes Cárdenas, PhD
• SUSTAINair - Sustainable Aerospace Value Chains, coordinated by Gerald Prantl
• GENEX EU Project, coordinated by Andrea Calvo-Echenique, PhD

Stay tuned for updates here and join us in celebrating this milestone in collaborative innovation at the Paris Air Show 2025.

Stay tuned for more updates as we continue to push the boundaries of innovation in aviation through the GENEX project! We're committed to advancing sustainable and efficient solutions for the aerospace industry.
 

Funded by the European Union. Views and opinions expressed are however those of the author(s) only and not necessarily reflect those of the European Union or CINEA. Neither the European Union nor CINEA can be held responsible for them.