Aerostructures Factory of the Future [AFoF] (Phase 1)

A collaborative ATI project has been developed to address a number of challenges currently facing the aerospace industry. The collaboration is led by Spirit AeroSystems (Europe), the largest independent Tier 1 “design and build” supplier to the aerospace industry whose main UK facility is located next to Prestwick International Airport. The partners are Aeromet International and the University of Sheffield Advanced Manufacturing Research Centre (AMRC), the former being a world leader in the production of Aluminium and Magnesium sand castings and Aluminium investment castings. The AMRC is a High Value Manufacturing (HVM) Catapult focusing on developing manufacturing solutions for industry across a wide range of sectors.
The overarching aim of the Programme is to help sustain UK aerospace jobs and ensure that the UK consolidates its position as the second largest global aerospace supplier currently with a market value and share of £24 billion and 17%, respectively. The scope of the technical work will align with both the Protect and Exploit element of the Governmental PEP model developed by the Aerospace Growth Partnership AGP as part of the industrial strategy and has the following key objectives:

-manufacturing process improvement of legacy products to facilitate rate increase requirements for the industries OEMs;
-creation of opportunities for on-shoring of aerospace component work packages to maintain the long-term security of the UK manufacturing base;
the development, testing and validation of complex integrated manufacturing processes associated with composite aircraft wing technology.

-The ATI initiative provides Spirit and Aeromet with the opportunity to benefit from financial support to develop their technologies for use on current on future commercial aircraft. AMRC will help the industrial partners de-risk the technical and financial barriers through the collaborative development of the new technologies.