Development and prototyping of lightweight structures and aviation systems made of fiber composite materials.
Leichtwerk AG
Braunschweig (Research Airport) · DENew on Amplifa
About Leichtwerk AG
Leichtwerk AG, based in Braunschweig, develops technologies and products for lightweight structures with a focus on aircraft design, wind turbines, high-speed trains, automotive and research facilities. As an EASA-certified design organisation (DOA 21J.332), the company covers the entire aircraft development process – from Configuration Design and load analysis through structural design with composites, bondings and metallic structures to avionics, flight dynamics, certification and flight testing. In its own prototyping workshop with around 2400 m² of production floor space, lightweight structures are manufactured using prepregs and resin infusion techniques. A particular specialisation is fiber composite wind tunnel models with defined elastic properties, built among others for DNW and Airbus (including A340, A380, A400, X31, BWB configurations). Since 2015, the company has been developing High Altitude Platform Systems (HAPS), including the hydrogen-powered StratoStreamer prototype. The AG, founded in 1996, has been strategically repositioning itself since August 2024 in the context of insolvency proceedings.
- Site
- Braunschweig
- Processes
- Prototyping (lightweight structures, aircraft construction), Manufacturing with prepregs, Resin Infusion, Structural Design (structural design of composites, bondings, metallic structures), Configuration Design / aerodynamic analyses, Load analysis / aeroelastic tailoring, Aeroelasticity / Ground Vibration Testing / flutter analysis, Flight Dynamics and Simulation (Matlab, Scade, Hardware in the Loop)
- Materials
- Fiber-reinforced plastic (FRP), Prepregs, Resin (Resin Infusion), Metallic structures, Adhesive/bondings (structural bondings), Resin Infusion, Structural bondings
- Certificates
- EASA DOA 21J.332
- Founded
- 1996
- Industries
- Aviation, Wind turbines, High-speed trains, Automotive, Research facilities, Telecommunications (HAPS)
- 01
Configuration Design and aerodynamic analyses
- 02
Load analysis and aeroelastic tailoring
- 03
Structural design (composites, bondings, metal)
- 04
Prototyping in own workshop
- 05
Testing and experimentation (Ground Vibration Testing, wind tunnel)
- 06
Certification (Design Assurance)
- 07
Flight Testing and trial operations
Materials and Processes
Fiber-reinforced plastic (FRP)
Core material for lightweight structures, wind tunnel models and aircraft components with defined static and dynamic properties.
Prepregs
Processed in the prototyping workshop to manufacture high-strength structural components.
Resin Infusion
Infusion process for large-format fiber composite structures in prototyping.
Metallic structures
Design and verification of metallic structures under static and fatigue loads.
Structural bondings
Design and testing of bonding joints, including damage and softening analyses.
Locations
Braunschweig, Research Airport
DEHeadquarters, development and production
- Lot size
- Prototypes and small series
- Materials
- Fiber-reinforced plastic, prepregs, resin, metal
- Prototyping workshop approx. 2400 m²
- Coordinate measuring arm (QA of negative molds and models)
- Mobile robotic arm on linear axis (drill holes 0.3 mm)
- Research aircraft eta
- Multicopter
- High Alpha Research Glider
Components and Products
Inside the production
Industries
Processes & technical limits
| Processes | Tolerance | Max. part | Weight | Lot size | Materials |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Prototyping (lightweight structures, aircraft construction)Engineering | – | – | – | – | Fiber-reinforced plastic (CFRP/GFRP), Prepregs |
| Manufacturing with prepregsPlastics | – | – | – | – | Prepregs, Fiber-reinforced plastic |
| Resin InfusionPlastics | – | – | – | – | Fiber-reinforced plastic, Resin |
| Structural Design (structural design of composites, bondings, metallic structures)Engineering | – | – | – | – | Fiber-reinforced plastic, Metal |
| Configuration Design / aerodynamic analysesEngineering | – | – | – | – | – |
| Load analysis / aeroelastic tailoringEngineering | – | – | – | – | – |
| Aeroelasticity / Ground Vibration Testing / flutter analysisTesting | – | – | – | – | – |
| Flight Dynamics and Simulation (Matlab, Scade, Hardware in the Loop)Engineering | – | – | – | – | – |
| Avionic and electric designEngineering | – | – | – | – | – |
| Electric propulsion system development (eVTOL, hydrogen)Engineering | – | – | – | – | – |
| Certification (EASA DOA 21J.332, Design Assurance)Engineering | – | – | – | – | – |
| Wind tunnel models (composite wind tunnel models with elastic properties)Plastics | – | – | – | – | Fiber-reinforced plastic (CFRP/GFRP) |
| Ground Vibration Testing / Flight Vibration TestingTesting | – | – | – | – | – |
| Flight Testing (trial operations of manned and unmanned aircraft)Testing | – | – | – | – | – |
| Software Development (DO-178C/DO-331, GCS for drone fleets)Engineering | – | – | – | – | – |
| Manufacturing of drones / unmanned aviation systems (HAPS StratoStreamer prototype)Plastics | – | – | – | – | Fiber-reinforced plastic |
6 Anlagen & Maschinen
| Machine | Manufacturer / model | Quantity | Working area | Year built | Site |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Production floor space (prototyping workshop) | – | – | approx. 2400 sqm production floor space | 2017 | Braunschweig, Research Airport |
| Coordinate measuring arm (quality assurance of negative molds and models) | – | – | – | – | Braunschweig |
| Mobile robotic arm on linear axis (drill hole placement 0.3 mm diameter for pressure measurements) | – | – | – | – | Braunschweig |
| Research aircraft eta (test platform) | Leichtwerk eta | 1 | – | – | Braunschweig |
| Multicopter (research/testing) | – | – | – | – | Braunschweig |
| High Alpha Research Glider (test platform) | – | – | – | – | Braunschweig |
Additional services
Reference customers
Quality and Certification
Manufacturing is carried out using the quality assurance procedures of an aviation production organisation; negative molds and finished wind tunnel models are inspected with a coordinate measuring arm. As an EASA Design Organisation (21J.332), approved design assurance processes are in place, including a Flight Test Operational Manual.
| Evidence | Braunschweig |
|---|---|
| EASA DOA 21J.332 |
Company History
- 1996
Founding of the Bürogemeinschaft Flugtechnik & Leichtbau partnership at Braunschweig Airport by Dr. Reiner Kickert
- 2000
Maiden flight of the eta glider on 31.07.2000
- 2002
Registration of the leichtwerk brand; realignment
- 2002
Entry into the development of large rotor blades for wind turbines
- 2003
EASA Design Organisation Approval
- 2004
Orders for bodyshell reinforcements, expansion into further industries
- 2009
Renaming to Leichtwerk AG (conversion from leichtwerk Ingenieurbüro e.K. and protowerk e.K.)
- 2015
Start of design and prototyping of HAPS (StratoStreamer)
- 2017
Move to own building at the Research Airport, approx. 2400 m²
- 2024
Application to open insolvency proceedings as part of strategic realignment and restructuring (27.08.2024)