Airbus and the Realization of Bionic Design
Five years ago, no one could have predicted the impact that slime mold would have on the air travel industry. This was when the idea for a bionic-design partition for Airbus first came to the forefront. Engineering designers at Airbus took advantage of 3D printing and generative design software to create the bionic partition for its Concept Cabin. The partition is the only thing that separates passengers from the flight crew. Airbus’ new lightweight design allows greater access for emergency personnel to bring in stretchers. The ability to neatly tuck the partition out of the way means that medics can get sick or injured people off the plane in a hurry. At a weight of 66 pounds, the partition serves as a fold-down chair for the flight crew during take-offs and landings. As impressive as all of this is, what has truly caught the attention of the flying public is the fact that the entire partition is made of slime mold. This enables it to be 45 percent lighter than the typical airplane partition. The Power of Generative Design and Additive Manufacturing The Airbus project combines generative design and additive manufacturing to showcase the bionic design of the partition. This…