Swiss Axalp manufactures CFRP folding propeller blades for Dufour

en.Wedoany.com Reported - Axalp Technologies, headquartered in Olten, Switzerland, has designed and manufactured custom folding propeller blades for the Aero-200 tilt-wing aircraft developed by Zurich-based company Dufour Aerospace. The blades are made of carbon fiber reinforced plastic (CFRP), with production carried out in-house at Axalp.

To accommodate Dufour's folding propeller mechanism, Axalp optimized the blade structure design to meet stringent constraints on geometry and weight. Axalp's proprietary software tools enabled the design team to evaluate the full tradespace, allowing for holistic optimization of the propeller at the system level rather than addressing local areas separately. Leveraging rapid prototyping capabilities, Axalp subsequently produced a batch of custom blades to support Dufour's ground and flight test programs.

The folding propeller system developed by Dufour for the Aero-200 aims to enhance cruise efficiency during long-range missions. Hover and vertical takeoff phases require large propellers, but once the aircraft transitions to forward flight, large propellers introduce additional drag. The Aero-200's solution is to fold away the outboard propellers during cruise, while the inboard pair continues to provide forward thrust. This configuration is designed to maximize aerodynamic efficiency and extend flight range.

Axalp stated in a LinkedIn post that it is deeply proud to support the optimization and manufacturing of this folding propeller system. The aircraft platform is intended for medical transport, search and rescue, and other missions.

CompositesWorld (CW) has previously reported on several other composite components on the Aero-200 (formerly Aero2) platform besides the propeller blades. The all-composite fuselage is supplied by Connova AG, Aerolite AG is responsible for producing the composite structures for the nacelles and empennage, and WAG Wernli AG manufactures composite brackets using sheet molding compound (SMC) material, replacing the previous aluminum versions on the aircraft.