Acro helps engineers of the future at Imperial College, London

As Cop29 in Azerbaijan ends, where world leaders gathered to discuss all things climate change, and we are seeing an increasing number of news stories about extreme weather events around the world, Acro is playing its part by continually examining how it can actively contribute to the aviation industry in reducing its emissions. We are endeavouring to do this through clever and innovative design of aircraft seats, as well as actively reducing our own environmental impact.

As part of this drive, Al Roots, Acro’s Chief Industrial Designer, has been supporting the next generation of MEng students in Design Engineering at the Dyson School, Imperial College, London, on their Sustainable Design Engineering module led by Dr Marco Aurisicchio.

Al visited the University and took part in a workshop with the second-year students where they disassembled economy and business class aircraft seats, with the aim of understanding how the seats were designed and consider how they could be reimagined for a circular economy.

Al shared insights from his experience of designing aircraft seats, in fact one of the business class seats the students disassembled, Al had a part in designing. This gave the students a unique opportunity to hear firsthand about the design process behind the seat.

Tony Seville, Director of Aircraft Interior Recycling Association (AIRA), who has been working with Acro, also attended the workshop and helped students identify the different types of plastics used in the seats. AIRA is working to support the aviation industry by auditing seat parts and creating digital datasets that can help manufacturers improve recyclability.

Al said of his visit to Imperial College: “It was great to work with the students and explain to them the considerations that go into designing airline seats.

“Seeing the students pulling the seats apart was really insightful and demonstrated how many components go into the seats we design and manufacture, as well as the challenge we have as an industry in creating sustainable and recyclable seats.”

For more information about Acro and our products, visit: https://acro.aero/