From Additive Manufacturing to Closed-Loop Recycling
How Aerospace Seeks to Reduce Titanium and Aluminium Waste

Source: Airbus 2 min Reading Time

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Titanium and aluminium are essential to modern aircraft construction, valued for their strength-to-weight ratio, corrosion resistance and durability. As demand for these metals rises, the aerospace industry is investing in circular economy models to reduce material consumption, recover parts from retired aircraft and recycle metals without compromising performance.

Additive manufacturing and closed-loop recycling are central to efforts to reduce titanium and aluminium waste in aerospace production. (Bild:  EcoTitanium/Airbus)
Additive manufacturing and closed-loop recycling are central to efforts to reduce titanium and aluminium waste in aerospace production.
(Bild: EcoTitanium/Airbus)

Aircraft are designed for long service lives—often exceeding 20 years—yet the production of airframes and engines still consumes significant amounts of primary metals. Both titanium and aluminium can be recycled indefinitely without quality loss, but aerospace-grade alloys require strict purity and performance standards. This makes “closing the loop” for these materials a complex challenge, involving technological innovation, industry partnerships and rigorous certification processes.

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