DORNIER at DefenceTec AIRTEC 2026: Reliable machinery and lines for the scalable production of fabrics and composite semi-finished products for the aerospace industry
From 20 to 22 October, the machinery and plant manufacturer Lindauer DORNIER will be presenting the latest developments in its weaving machines and systems for the cost-effective production of high-quality reinforcement fabrics, unidirectional tapes and 3D preforms for high-strength fibre-reinforced composite components in the aerospace industry at AIRTEC in Augsburg (Stand M3300).
The international aerospace exhibition AIRTEC brings together key players in the aerospace supply chain from all over the world. The focus is on industry topics such as new materials, lightweight construction, climate-neutral flying and the future of air mobility – all of which place new demands on manufacturing technology. This is where DORNIER comes in with its presence at AIRTEC: “Whether it’s reinforcement fabrics, thermoplastic tapes or three-dimensional preforms – when manufacturing semi-finished textile products for the aerospace industry, high-performance fibres must be processed reliably and reproducibly,” says Yvonne Schuberth, Head of the Product Line Weaving Machines at DORNIER. “To this end, we work with our customers to develop bespoke plant solutions, from the initial material trial right through to industrial series production.”
Precise reinforcement fabrics for a wide range of aerospace applications
At AIRTEC, DORNIER demonstrates the role that textile structures play in modern aerospace using its rapier weaving technology as an example. The variants of the P2 rapier weaving machine designed for technical textiles process demanding glass, carbon and aramid fibres with precision and process reliability. In addition to ballistic protection fabrics and parachute fabrics, these machines also produce reinforcement and structural fabrics for aircraft. “In the aerospace industry, precision, process stability and consistent quality are essential,” says Schuberth. “Our weaving technology is optimally designed to meet these high demands.”
DORNIER looks back on a long tradition of innovation in the processing of high-performance fibres: with the introduction of its rapier weaving machine technology in 1967, the company laid an important technological foundation for the gentle processing of sensitive glass and carbon fibres and their use in lightweight components for the aerospace industry. As early as the 1970s, fabrics for aircraft tail sections, rocket components and jet components were being produced on DORNIER rapier weaving machines.
Scalable production of composite semi-finished products for the aerospace industry
In addition to traditional reinforcement fabrics, DORNIER will be showcasing the latest developments in its production technologies for composite semi-finished products from its Composite Systems® (CS) division at AIRTEC. In this division, the family-owned company brings together its decades of experience in the construction of weaving machines and film stretching lines. Here, DORNIER develops and builds systems for the scalable and robust series production of bespoke fibre-reinforced semi-finished products, including unidirectional tapes (UD tapes) and complex 3D fabrics, which are also used in the aerospace industry. These include TRITOS® FLEX, a recent further development of the TRITOS® 3D weaving machine.
“With TRITOS® FLEX, we are responding to the growing demand for complex 3D fabrics with high damage tolerance and good impact behaviour,” says Josef Klingele, Head of the Product Line Composite Systems. “This enables companies to enter the production of complex 3D fabrics and 3D preforms with near-final contours easily and cost-effectively.” Whilst the TRITOS® 3D weaving machine produces 3D fabrics with a thickness of up to 100 millimetres, TRITOS® FLEX is designed for small and medium-sized production runs with fabric thicknesses of up to 50 millimetres.
To make it easier for manufacturers to develop fibre-reinforced composite components in a way that is closely aligned with real-world applications, right through to series production, DORNIER has recently further expanded its technical centre at its Esseratsweiler site. “There, customers can produce different reinforcement structures under conditions similar to those in series production and validate them before the plant is designed,” said Klingele. In addition to the TRITOS® 3D weaving machine, a PROTOS® TP tape production line, a PROTOS® TW tape weaving machine and a P2 roving weaving machine are available for testing.