Composite Aircraft Wing Research Gets Underway at GKN

(May 14, 2008) -- GKN Aerospace teams at the Company's Composites Research Centre, Cowes, UK and at the Ice Protection Facility in Luton, UK, have commenced work on the three year 'Next Generation Composite Wing' (NGCW) research programme aimed at revolutionizing technologies that will improve future wing design and manufacturing processes in the UK.

NGCW is an Airbus, UK-led collaboration between 17 leading British organisations, both industrial companies and research organisations, and is jointly funded by the UK Technology Strategy Board (TSB), a number of Regional Development Agencies (RDA's) and the industrial partner companies.

Market predictions indicate that in the coming years, some 60% of the bare structure weight of a typical 150-seater aircraft platform will comprise composite materials - whilst aircraft demand could necessitate production rates in excess of 40 aircraft sets per month.

GKN Aerospace's involvement on the NGCW programme will further progress the Company's advanced composites manufacturing and ice protection expertise, the aim being to ensure that future composite wing structures and their integrated system technologies can be produced to the necessary standards and at the required high production rates. For GKN Aerospace, the NGCW activity will focus on optimising factory layout for high rate production and maximum efficiency. The Company will examine new developments in composite tooling and hard metal coatings to extend tooling life and will work to advance wing systems design integration.

Frank Bamford, Senior Vice President of Business Development and Strategy at GKN Aerospace comments: "We view the NGCW research as a key enabling programme taking the UK capability in the vital area of wing manufacture forwards significantly. For GKN Aerospace, this work forms part of an integrated portfolio of research and development activities aimed at progressing wing technologies and manufacturing processes, and enabling us effectively to undertake a greater part of the aircraft wing assembly and integration activity for our customers in the future."

Source : GKN Aerospace

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