Aviation – Unit Load Devices (ULD)

Summary

Aerobox selected a composite material for panel production that overcomes the drawbacks of the conventional products while providing increased robustness, improved repair-ability, and reduced life cycle costs - Aeroplaz.

Prevailing metal containers have a low resistance to denting, tearing and material deterioration. They require an average 1.5- 2 repair trips per year. Aerobox’ units are targeted to:

cut expenses 50% by reducing damage frequency and employing on-site repairs increase safety of airline operations and enhance the unit’s structural longevity.

Aeroplaz panels have a honeycomb sandwich design and are made of thermoplastic composite materials which evenly distribute the load across the panel and increases overall container strength.

The initial product is a Lower Deck Type 3 ULD (commonly known as an LD-3 or AKE) model utilized on the Boeing B747, B777, B787, MD11 and Airbus A300, A310, A330, A350, A380 for carrying baggage, mail and cargo.

Benefits

3 R’s-

• Robustness > increased strength and durability.
  
  
• Repair-ability > decreases containers off the flight-line and reduces time/costs for repairs.
  
  
• Reduce Life Cycle Costs > resistance to weather, contamination, corrosion, longer life with lower maintenance/restoration expenses.
  
  

Recent Developments

• Operational tests have been conducted with 23 different airlines with over 400 Aerobox units. Since that time the Aerobox LD-3 has operated on over 50,000 flight segments with less than 50 reported repairs required.
  
  
• Aer Lingus announced initial firm order in February 2004. Virgin Atlantic announced firm order in April 2004. Saudi Arabian ordered 500 in November 2004.
  
  
• In January 2004 ACS and Kelvin Technologies (Dallas, TX) announced a plan to create an innovative perishable container targeted specifically for the pharma industry.
  
  

Properties:

Aerobox units have been subjected to Federal Aviation Regulation Part 21-Subpart TSO C90c and certified by the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA), the European Joint Aviation Authority (JAA), the Civil Aviation Authority (CAA) and approval by the European Aviation Safety Agency (EASA). The test units are deliberately damaged and then tested to ensure compliance with NAS3610 by loading with steel shot to almost three times the design load. The Aeroplaz panels, 0.5in reinforced thermoplastic, improve damage resistance by:

• the fusion bond of the external laminate to the core being incapable of demonstrating skin delamination.
  
  
• the high degree of flexibility the visco-elastic polypropylene/fiberglass skin prevents the existence of cracks or crack/tear propagation through the entire panel.
  
  

Thermal results exceed FAR 25.853-(a) appendix, horizontal burn rate-0.61 in/min cf 2.5 in/min. Further tests indicate the unit to be 100 times less thermally conductive than aluminum.

Potential Clients

ACS’ current products and materials are aimed at the air cargo industry and its primary clients are thus likely to be:

• airline carriers worldwide, in particular the US airlines such as American Airlines, Continental Airlines and Northwest Airlines, and European & Asian carriers;
  
  
• integrators, such as Federal Express Corp. (FedEx) and United Parcel Service (UPS) &
  
  
• freight forwarders.
  
  

Market Objectives

Achieve 10% Market share by 2005

• Become the Industry Standard ULD
  
  
• Establish Centres of Excellence for Training
  
  
• Steer Industry Working Groups
  
  
• Establish more manufacturing sites
  
  
• Extend ULD range – LD3-45, LD2
  
  
• Achieve 25% Market share by 2009
  
  

Please contact rcollins@acsusa.net for more information.

PDF Brochure Download

Home