1 October 2013 www.aeromag.com www.aero-mag.com THE EUROPEAN MAGAZINE FOR A GLOBAL INDUSTRY CIVIL & DEFENCE/SPACE/SUPPLY CHAIN OCTOBER 2023 SPACE PROGRAMMES SPACE SECTOR FACES RECRUITMENT CHALLENGES Page 15 SHOW PREVIEW Page 10
Variety in spades Editor | Mike Richardson | newsdesk@aero-mag.com | Tel: +44 (0) 1634 825709 Deputy Editor | Ed Hill | ehill@mitpublishing.co.uk | Tel: +44 (0) 1634 825705 Digital content coordinator | Michael Tyrrell | mtyrrell@mitpublishing.co.uk Tel: +44 (0) 1634 825713 Sales Manager | David McCauley dmc@aero-mag.com | Tel: +44 (0)7557 308369 Sales Director | Andy Morley amorley@aero-mag.com | Tel: +44 (0) 1634 825701 Art Editor | Sarah Blake sarahblake@sablemedia.co.uk | Tel: +44 (0) 1233 770781 Production Coordinator| Ewa Hodden ehodden@mitpublishing.co.uk | Tel: +44 (0) 1634 825703 Circulation, Subscriptions and Database Research | Perception SAS aero@mitpublishing.com | Tel: +44 (0) 1825 701520 Financial Controller | Valerie Prentice | accounts@mitpublishing.co.uk Publisher | Liam McCauley Director | David Rose Published by | MIT Publishing Limited | Featherstone House | 375 High Street | Rochester | Kent ME1 1DA | United Kingdom | Tel: +44 (0) 1634 830566 Published 10 times a year, Aerospace Manufacturing is distributed free of charge to applicants in the UK and certain other countries who meet the publishers criteria. Subscriptions are also available at £150 per annum which represents a 40% saving on the single issue price. While every care is taken to provide accurate information, the publishers cannot accept liability for errors or omissions, no matter how they may arise. Authors opinions do not necessarily reflect those of the publisher. All rights reserved. No part of this publication may be reproduced or transmitted without the consent of the publisher. Copyright: MIT Publishing Ltd 2023 Printed by: Pureprint Group 4 NEWS EVENTS 10 A new track for advanced engineering – Advanced Engineering UK preview 13 A rich roll call of technology – Exhibitor roundup AIRCRAFT PROGRAMMES 15 Space sector faces recruitment challenges – Space TECHNOLOGY FEATURE 17 Say hello to hydrogen! – Engines 20 Making an impression in aircraft seating – Interiors 22 Get your bearings! – Landing gear ADVANCED MATERIALS 25 More robust than ever – Machine tools 26 Seeing is solving – Test & measurement 30 The aerospace trends shaping the industry – Additive manufacturing SUPPLY CHAIN 31 It’s a new way of life – Partnerships SPECIAL REPORT 34 It’s all about the coatings! – Surface finishing DIGITAL MANUFACTURING 37 Shopfloor stats boosts productivity – Production control software 39 Improvements at the push of a button – Simulation FINAL APPROACH 42 The pace of change – James Taylor, aerospace engineer and loss adjuster at Charles Taylor Adjusting Next issue: Aircraft programmes: Military, Technology feature: Wings, Materials: Additive manufacturing, Special report: MRO, Supply chain: Partnerships, Digital manufacturing: CAD/CAM, Final approach As a hub of innovation, the Advanced Engineering show can always be relied on to o er a little bit of a lot of di erent manufacturing-based technologies. With a heady variety of collaboration and development for all sectors and areas of the engineering supply chain, the event attracted around 9,000 attendees and over 400 exhibitors in 2022. Previewed in this issue (see page 10), Advanced Engineering is more than just the sum of its parts and arguably o ers some of the best opportunities to discover more about someone - or something - you never knew existed. Now in its 14th year, this year’s show comes with a fresh and future-focused rebrand, removing the previous show zones from its exhibition oor and introducing a main stage for the event’s well-attended forums. This is in order to meet the future demands of the engineering and manufacturing sectors in terms of encouraging even more cross-industry collaboration. A throng of exhibitors and visitors alike will descend upon this event. For stakeholders in our industry, the show’s aerospace forum will enable visitors to meet experts from H2FLY, Rolls-Royce, YEET Aerospace, MGI Engineering, ADS, Midlands Aerospace Alliance, Satellite Applications Catapult, Gravitilab and Spirit AeroSystems, who will cover topics ranging from digitally enabled supply chains to propulsion technologies. Hopefully, Advanced Engineering will deliver fresh opportunities to exhibitors and visitors alike, so they can experience both new customers and new products – the kinds that they wouldn’t normally expect to see at these events. My best wishes go out to show organisers, Easyfairs. I’m absolutely sure the aerospace industry will make the most of its showtime. Meanwhile, put the 1 2 November in your diary and on behalf of Aerospace Manufacturing magazine, I look forward to seeing you at the NEC Birmingham. Mike Richardson, editor ISSN 2056 3434 www.aero-mag.com Aerospace Manufacturing October 2023 3 COMMENT & CONTENTS Volume 18 Issue 170
4 October 2013 www.aeromag.com October 2023 Aerospace Manufacturing www.aero-mag.com NEWS Marshall Aerospace has announced it has formally established its presence in the US with a groundbreaking ceremony for its new facility in Greensboro, North Carolina. Initially announced in April 2023, the facility will enable Marshall Aerospace to grow its global footprint and meet high demand for in-country MRO and engineering support for USbased eets of Hercules C130 tactical transport aircra . The rst phase of development will entail construction of a single hangar comprising six bays for aircra maintenance, repair and overhaul and one additional paint bay, with start of operations planned for early 2025. The ceremony, held on site at Piedmont Triad International Airport, was attended by members of Marshall Aerospace’s leadership team, state and municipal government ocials, senior military leadership, industry partners, and representatives from local businesses and educational institutions. “As we embark on our growth strategy in North America, it has been humbling to see such strong support from industry and local government,” said Marshall Aerospace managing director, Neil McManus. www.marshallaerospace.com British aircra manufacturer, Britten-Norman has begun UK production of the Islander, a sub-regional aircra , having shi ed its manufacturing back to the UK from overseas. This historic moment is the culmination of years of strategic planning and follows the announcement by the company in June that new aircra production was to be fully repatriated to its agship manufacturing site in Bembridge on the Isle of Wight. The iconic Islander aircra , variants of which have been manufactured by the company for more than 50 years, will be built in the UK for the rst time since production was moved to Eastern Europe in the late 1960s. The rst UK Islander aircra now in production is due for completion in May 2024. A ribbon-cutting took place at an event on 21st September as the new production line at the Bembridge manufacturing facility was ocially opened by Bob Seely, MP for the Isle of Wight. The move signies Britten-Norman’s commitment to British manufacturing and its dedication to fostering innovation within the aerospace sector. Returning manufacturing to the UK will not only strengthen the company’s position as a leading sub-regional aircra manufacturer but also contribute to the growth and development of the British aerospace industry. “We are immensely proud to bring production back to the UK, where our manufacturing story began nearly seven decades ago,” stated chief executive of Britten-Norman, William Hynett. “This move underlines our dedication to the highest standards of quality, innovation, and the resurgence of British aerospace manufacturing. We look forward to a bright future as we continue to build world-class aircra right here in the UK.” www.britten-norman.com Britten-Norman opens new production line Marshall Aerospace unveils new US facility Space-Comm Expo returns with new 2024 dateline Space-Comm Expo, the UK’s largest exhibition focused on the commercial future of space for business, defence and aerospace is returning to the industry calendar 6 7 March 2024. The place for space to do business, Space-Comm Expo brings together decision-makers across the supply chain to further the commercial space sector with future-altering partnerships and hear from world-renowned experts on the immediate opportunities and challenges facing the industry. Organised by Hub Exhibitions in partnership with Farnborough International, Space-Comm is the UK’s biggest space-focused expo with a presence of over 150 exhibitors and 100 keynote speakers and experts across the programme. In 2023, Space-Comm Expo welcomed thousands of space professionals, organisations, agencies and government ocials from 34 countries to Farnborough International Exhibition & Conference Centre. The new March dateline will be a permanent xture for industry calendars. www.space-comm.co.uk LR: Pete Dowers, new production manager, Bob Seely, MP for Isle of Wight and William Hynett, CEO of Britten-Norman
www.aero-mag.com Aerospace ManufacturingOctober 2023 5 Defining the detail... With over 40 years of tooling manufacture experience we continue to position ourselves at the forefront of research and development, focusing on being the very best at what we do! Visit our website for our full range of precision cutting tools. Tooling for wood, composites, metals and foam 01277 260340 sales@primatooling.co.uk www.primatooling.co.uk Follow us on: PRECISION TOOL MANUFACTURERS • Precision bending of thin-wall exotic tube • For tube diameters up to 50 mm • Manually operated, user-friendly CNC control • Fast tooling changes and robust design • From the inventors of all-electric tube manipulation Ultra-precise manual CNC tube bending for MRO. Discover EvBend Contact us now to discuss your needs: +44 (0) 1723 582 868 I sales@unisonltd.com unisonltd.com Precision bending of thin-wall exotic tube ted, user-friendly CNC control Fast tooling changes and robust design DSEI 2023 breaks all records Defence and Security Equipment International (DSEI) delivered the most successful edition for its customers, key stakeholders, partners in its 24-year history. DSEI broke all records in September in terms of overall attendance, number of visitors, and international delegations. Attendee numbers were up by 23% compared to DSEI 2019. The event hosted more than 1,500 exhibitors, with over 250 of those exhibiting for the rst time, while our online industry buyer and supplier networking tool, MeetMe, enabled over 3,200 connections, and facilitated over 1,300 meetings throughout the busy show oor. As ever DSEI hosted international delegations from across the world. The event had an increase of senior military and government attendees, with over 3250 VIPs and delegations from close to 100 nations visiting the biennial event, surpassing that of the existing record numbers achieved in 2019. Visitors saw outstanding displays of military capability, including representation from the Global Combat Air Programme. The UK Capability Showcase was a big draw for visitors. It demonstrated the latest, cutting-edge capabilities being developed by the UK’s defence and security industry. The showcase served as a platform to demonstrate the UK’s ‘best-in-class’ advancements, innovations, and expertise across all domains. DSEI Director Grant Burgham said: “The global defence and security community convened again at DSEI 2023. Representatives of both British and international defence companies, including hundreds of SMEs, were in attendance at DSEI this year. It proved to be a vital opportunity to build connections, seek innovative collaborations and for the UK to export world-leading capabilities. “On behalf of the whole DSEI team, we are taking stock of the opportunities this show has given, and also look forward to welcoming everyone back for DSEI 2025.” www.DSEI.co.uk
6 October 2013 www.aeromag.com 8 November 2014 Aerospace Manufacturing www.aero-mag.com NEWS Partners sign hybrid-electric demonstrator agreement GKN Aerospace has signed an agreement with Pratt & Whitney Canada to collaborate on the development of the High Voltage High Power EWIS for the RTX hybrid-electric ight demonstrator project. The agreement involves the development, construction, and installation of the electrical wiring system of the demonstrator, which is targeting a 30% improvement in fuel e ciency and reduced CO2 emissions compared to today’s most advanced regional turboprop aircra. The demonstrator’s hybrid-electric propulsion system integrates a Pratt & Whitney fuel-burning engine with a 1MW electric motor developed by Collins Aerospace. The hybridelectric system will enable more e cient engine performance during the dierent phases of ight, such as take-o, climb and cruise. GKN Aerospace in the Netherlands will spearhead the development and design of the High Voltage High Power EWIS for the hybrid-electric propulsion system. Following the design phase, GKN Aerospace will assume responsibility for manufacturing the necessary hardware and installing on the demonstrator aircra. www.gknaerospace.com Mazak recognised as a leading employer Yamazaki Mazak has been recognised as one of the top employers in Worcestershire following its long-standing work with local education institutions and commitment to sustainable job creation. Mazak stands out as one of just 12 businesses in the region to be awarded the Cornerstone Certicate by Worcestershire County Council’s Local Enterprise Partnership. It celebrates employers with a deep-rooted culture of fostering the next generation of talent and an on-going commitment to nurturing the future workforce, continuously enhancing skills and promoting academic achievement. Mazak, as a Cornerstone Employer, will collaborate with a consortium of local businesses in a leadership capacity with the shared objective of enhancing support for schools, colleges and young people in the area. “Yamazaki Mazak UK is delighted to be recognised as a Cornerstone Employer by Worcestershire County Council,” stated Max Jones, people development manager, for Yamazaki Mazak UK. “We are very proud of the work we do within local schools, colleges and organisations to support young people in achieving their goals and aspirations for the future.” www.mazakeu.co.uk Messe Frankfurt Group Honorary sponsor 7 – 10.11.2023 FRANKFURT/GERMANY Demand for increasingly complex and customized parts is rising, product cycles are becoming shorter, established supply chains are being called into question and sustainability is playing an ever greater role. In short: Industrial production is becoming more demanding. Additive Manufacturing offers solutions to meet these challenges and inspire your customers. Be ahead of your competition: Visit Formnext, the international expo and convention for Additive Manufacturing in Frankfurt am Main, Germany. Where ideas take shape Reconfigure manufacturing! Early bird discount until 10 October 2023 Secure tickets! formnext.com/tickets Max Jones, People Development Manager, for Yamazaki Mazak UK proudly holds the Cornerstone certicate.
Dublin Aerospace, a leading provider of aircra MRO services, has announced the appointment of Dominic Ryan as general manager base maintenance and APU. Ryan assumed his new role earlier this month and brings with him a wealth of experience and expertise in the aviation industry. Ryan is responsible for managing the aircra maintenance and overhaul process, including APU overhaul and repair, ensuring compliance with regulations, maintaining the highest safety and quality standards, and e ciently utilising resources to deliver aircra and APUs to customers on time. Commenting on the announcement, William Flaherty, CEO at Dublin Aerospace said: “We are thrilled to welcome Dominic Ryan to the Dublin Aerospace team as our general manager base maintenance and APU. With his impressive background, wealth of experience, and demonstrated leadership, we are condent that Dominic will play a pivotal role in the future of our operations.” www.dublinaerospace.com Dublin Aerospace welcomes Ryan onboard Bahrain International Airshow Organising Committee and ADS Group have signed a framework programme to deliver a UK Pavilion at the Bahrain International Airshow 2024 (BIAS). Following the signing of the Strategic Investment and Collaboration Partnership between the UK and Bahrain, this collaboration paves the way for continued cooperation and collective achievement across the aerospace and defence sectors. “Formalising our commitment to the Bahrain International Airshow is the latest enhancement to our international business development activities, and exhibitors at our ADS event portfolio are up some 25% year on year,” said Kevin Craven, CEO of ADS Group. “Bahrain International Airshow is a natural t for UK industry, with close and deep industrial collaboration taking place between the two nations.” BIAS will return to the aerospace calendar 1315 November 2024 at Sakhir Airbase Bahrain. www.bahraininternationalairshow.com Bahrain Airshow signs framework with ADS Group Willie Flaherty (le ) and Dominic Ryan (right)
8 October 2013 www.aeromag.com NEWS October 2023 Aerospace Manufacturing www.aero-mag.com Leading aerospace specialist, Airframe Designs has issued a message to retired engineers as it expands its business. CEO Jerrod Hartley said: “We’re expanding and asking for experienced airframe design and stress engineers to contact us, even those who may be retired or wish to work part-time. We’re building a reputation for engineering excellence, and we value the depth of knowledge that seasoned professionals bring. If you have experience and the right skills, we invite you to join us. Exciting times are ahead as we collaborate with some of the most innovative organisations in the aviation industry. We’re also nurturing talent and helping to grow and develop graduate and apprentice engineers through our structured training and mentoring from experienced design experts.” The teams working on specialist components at Airframe Designs span an age range of ve decades with skills in design, analysis, certication and manufacturing. https://airframedesigns.com Airframe Designs courts retired specialists Six months before the major players of the composites community and its application sectors gather in Paris to participate to JEC World 2024, from March 5 7, JEC has announced the dates of the two next editions of the show: from March 4 6 in 2025 and from March 3 5 in 2026, in Paris Nord Villepinte. “We are very happy to be able to communicate the dates of JEC World for the next two years, which will allow a straightforward planning ahead for all major stakeholders of the industry but also for the many startups, experts, academics, scientists and R&D leaders who join each year the leading show,” said Thomas Lepretre, VP events, sales & operations, JEC. “We want them to get as much visibility as possible.” www.jec-world.events JEC World announces future event dates Sensonics seals JOSCAR certification Condition monitoring specialist, Sensonics has announced that it is fully registered on the JOSCAR supplier accreditation register. This latest accreditation underlines Sensonics position as a leading supplier of turbine supervisory and high integrity machine condition monitoring and protection systems to industry. The company oers over 40 years’ experience in providing vibration monitoring, displacement monitoring, seismic monitoring and sha speed instrumentation systems and components in demanding environments. www.sensonics.co.uk AIRTEC, one of Europe’s leading events for aerospace, air mobility and space will be held at the Augsburg Messe from 25 27 October. A total of 147 international companies and technology leaders, including Airbus Urban Air Mobility, Airbus Defence & Space, Airbus Protect, Premium Aerotec, Embraer, AutoFlight Europe, EHang and AlpineTec, will be present at the event and conference, which is being held for the rst time at its new Augsburg location. Compared to 2019 when the last pre-Covid trade fair was held in Munich, the number of exhibitors has more than doubled - especially from abroad - including from overseas the US, Australia, Israel and China, as well as France, the UK, Italy, Spain, Switzerland and Turkey. “The dynamism and innovation density of the industry is reected in this year’s AIRTEC, which is signicantly larger, more international and more technology-driven than in previous years,” said Diana Schnabel, CEO of AIRTEC. “AIRTEC will become the central, international meeting place for the value-added and knowledge chain from science, industrial R&D, as well as manufacturing OEMs and suppliers - and all this at the right location, here in Bavaria.” https://airtec.aero AIRTEC show moves to new Augsburg location
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10 October 2013 www.aeromag.com EVENT PREVIEW: ADVANCED ENGINEERING October 2023 Aerospace Manufacturing www.aero-mag.com dvanced Engineering, the UK’s largest annual gathering of engineering and manufacturing professionals, is set to open its doors at the beginning of November. A hub of innovation, collaboration and development for all sectors and areas of the engineering supply chain, the event attracted around 9,000 attendees and over 400 exhibitors in 2022. Now in its 14th year, this year’s show comes with a fresh and future-focused rebrand, removing the previous show zones from its exhibition floor and introducing a main stage for the event’s well-attended forums. Advanced Engineering, taking place on November 1 and 2 at the NEC, Birmingham, was previously divided into several zones. However, in order to meet the future demands of the engineering and manufacturing sectors, the show has been reengineered to encourage even more cross-industry collaboration. The organisers say that this layout felt limiting for exhibitors, and that visitors in general walked the entire show floor, regardless of their specific industry. This year, the long-established composite zone will remain, but the automotive, aerospace and connected manufacturing zones will be removed. However, these sectors will still have a strong presence at the event, with the industry-specific forums remaining. There will also be a main, central stage on this year’s floor plan where discussions about key challenges in the industry will be discussed. “Making these changes wasn’t an easy or a quick decision,” explains Alison Willis, director of Easyfairs, the organiser of Advanced Engineering. “We spoke to more than 200 exhibitors, visitors and speakers to make sure that any changes we made were future-proof and reflective of all stakeholders. We realised that many of the issues that our exhibitors and visitors are facing align, no matter what sector they are from. Take sustainability for example – we wanted to make sure that our floor plan gave attendees the best opportunity of sharing ideas and solutions to challenges like this. “Advanced Engineering has expanded greatly over the years, Encompassing a wide spectrum of manufacturing industries, Advanced Engineering has become one of the most anticipated industry events in the UK. Aerospace Manufacturing hears more about the latest developments at this year’s show. A A NEW TRACK FOR ADVANCED At the aerospace forum, visitors can hear industry insights from leading experts (below) Engineering
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12 October 2013 www.aeromag.com EVENT PREVIEW: ADVANCED ENGINEERING October 2023 Aerospace Manufacturing www.aero-mag.com Scan here for more Easyfairs articles starting as a speci c aerospace event 14 years ago. 2023 felt like the right time to break down the walls that separated our exhibitors to fully encourage collaboration across industries and to prepare the show for a new era of manufacturing and engineering.” Cross sector contribution To ensure that visitors and exhibitors can still easily nd relevant contacts, Advanced Engineering exhibitors will now be categorised by the services, products and solutions oered. They will have the opportunity to highlight all of the sectors they work in, removing any limitations created by the speci c show zones. As well as encouraging visitors from the show’s established sectors like aerospace, space, automotive and composites to attend, Advanced Engineering hopes to attracted visitors from newer sectors, like marine, security, rail, energy, sports and leisure, and medical. With the rebrand, Advanced Engineering returns with a speaker programme made up of some of the leading gures in UK engineering and manufacturing. This year’s day one keynote is Richard Noble, OBE, former holder of the world land speed record and serial innovator at ThrustWSH. Also on the main stage, Eman MartinVignerte, director of external aairs and government relations at Bosch, will share her thoughts on digitalisation and automation. In the aernoon, there will be a Women in Manufacturing panel, followed by a discussion from a Make UK representative on how new industrial technologies are aecting the skilled workforce. On day two, the opening keynote will be given by Make UK, and will be followed by talks from Made in Britain on innovation in British engineering and design, and a second panel on women in composites. Two exciting competitions will also be held on the main stage, with the Enabling Innovation competition in the morning and the SAMPE Design and Make competition in the aernoon. Take a ying visit At the aerospace forum, visitors can meet experts from H2FLY, Rolls-Royce, YEET Aerospace, MGI Engineering, ADS, Midlands Aerospace Alliance, Satellite Applications Catapult, Gravitilab and Spirit AeroSystems, who will cover topics ranging from digitally enabled supply chains to propulsion technologies. Meanwhile, exhibitors can learn about composites circularity, the future of composites, digitalisation being the key to productivity and more at the composites forum. Here, several speakers will be taking the stage from the following companies: AMRC, Creative Composites, NCC, Composites Leadership Forum, Composites UK, KTN, Plataine, The Ford Motor Company, WMG, Composite Branding and the ADS. Attendees can also see Pim van Baarsen, CEO at the Silverstone Technology Cluster, and Lucy Parsons, sales account manager at Nikon Metrology UK, who will be discussing and showcasing innovative products at the automotive forum. Pushing innovation Advanced Engineering will also showcase six groundbreaking innovations throughout its exhibition area. One of these is the prototype of the ThrustWSH boat, which will be accompanied by a presentation from Richard Noble OBE on the main stage. In what is a collaborative eort with PRF Composites, ThrustWSH is hoping to break the world water speed record and the exhibit at the show will allow visitors to see the preliminary designs for the record attempting boat. In addition, MGI Engineering is speeding ahead in its journey to net zero and will demonstrate never seen before technologies to the sector, including an F1 car and eVTOL drones. Meanwhile, SCU Motorsport has also booked an exclusive exhibitor spot, pioneering its 3D learning environment for students that will involve augmented reality, virtual reality and mixed reality technologies. This will feature a 3D virtual motorsport garage too. Cyclopic stands as a CleanTech enterprise also dedicated to advancing technologies for achieving net zero goals. It will introduce the enhanced manoeuvrability of an ECorner platform, shedding light on the innovative centreless wheel technology. What’s more, advanced manufacturing experts from the University of Manchester have attained a spot to showcase new technologies, products and processes. Hosted by the Graphene Engineering Innovation Centre (GEIC), visitors can see the extraordinary properties of graphene and other 2D materials. Finally, Gravitilab Aerospace Services, a Space engineering company, is displaying the patent protected drop pod, which provides unique microgravity environments at relatively low altitudes. “Advanced Engineering is spotlighting several groundbreaking innovations, spanning various domains and sectors that push the boundaries of technology and progress,” concludes Willis. “These innovations stand testament to the relentless pursuit of progress in engineering and manufacturing that not only inspire, but also exemplify the remarkable strides that are being taken across aerospace, composites, automotive and more.” www.advancedengineeringuk.com Net Zero targets will be one of the key areas for discussion (above) Advanced Engineering 2023 has discarded show zones to enhance cross sector collaboration (below)
www.aero-mag.com Aerospace Manufacturing October 2023 13 EVENTS: ADVANCED ENGINEERING EXHIBITOR ROUNDUP e begin our roundup of exhibitors at Advanced Engineering with Group Rhodes (stand Q122). The company will be showcasing its industry-leading innovations in Superplastic Forming and Diffusion Bonding. The Group will also highlight its extensive range of state-of-the-art machinery for hot and cold forming of metals and composites, and complete turnkey solutions for specialised machinery within the aerospace industry. Group Rhodes has extensive capabilities including the design, development and manufacture of bespoke equipment and complete turnkey solutions. The main trading divisions of the Group consist of Rhodes Interform, Craven Fawcett, and Hallamshire Engineering Services. Rhodes is celebrating its 200th anniversary next year, and it is still proud to nurture a dedicated workforce in a traditional yet dynamic manufacturing environment. Moving on, XYZ Machine Tools (stand N140) will have three machines on display at the show. A RLX 425 lathe, a RMX 3500 bed mill and a 750 TMC machining centre. All feature XYZ’s ProtoTRAK Control said to be the simplest CNC on the market by the company. The 750 TMC (Toolroom Machining Centre) features an enclosed bed mill with automatic tool changer and is considered one of the best machines for one o and small batch production. XYZ’s range of RMX bed mills are used across UK industry. There are four in XYZ’s range from the RMX 2500 to the RMX 5000. Each bed mill is perfect for low volume production for milling or turning, and can produce pockets, proles, slots, and more. XYZ’s range of Proturn lathes features the RLX touchscreen ProtoTRAK control. These are also ideal for one o and low volume production. The RLX 425 is available as a 1.25m and 2m gap bed lathe with a swing over bed of 480mm and spindle bore of 80mm. Maximum spindle speed is 2,500rpm. As in previous years Rockwood Composites (stand X120) will be presenting live demonstrations of expanding core and bladder moulding from prepreg materials on its stand. The company will also be highlighting its newly opened 21,000² factory in Morocco. The facility, part of a new subsidiary of the company, is dedicated to high-volume, low-cost manufacturing primarily focussing on the aerospace industry. Its sta team include mechanical and composites engineers some of whom are currently in the process of training at Rockwood’s headquarters in the UK. Rockwood Composites is a specialist in ‘design for manufacture’ and oers long run and small volume production, tooling design and development. It has already built a solid reputation in aerospace, defence and cryogenics and is expanding into automotive and leisure. Another composite exhibitor is CompoTech (stand U140), who will be promoting its latest advanced Aerospace Manufacturing previews some of the exhibitors at this year’s Advanced Engineering 2023, being held from November 12 at the NEC, Birmingham. W A RICH ROLL CALL OF Group Rhodes: hot and cold forming of metals and composites (below) Technology XYZ Machine Tools: straightforward ProtoTRAK CNC control (right) Rockwood Composites: expanding core and bladder moulding (far right)
14 October 2013 www.aeromag.com EVENTS: ADVANCED ENGINEERING EXHIBITOR ROUNDUP October 2023 Aerospace Manufacturing www.aero-mag.com Scan here for more Easyfairs articles composite component design and bespoke automated production technologies at the show. The focus this year is on the recent business expansion into automated winding machine design and production, using expertise gained from nearly 30 years developing inhouse manufacturing machines for the company’s innovative carbon bre winding technologies. CompoTech is now able to provide complete solutions from carbon bre composite component design, prototyping and part production to process installation of custom-built ‘turnkey’ automated bre winding and lament placement machines. The company has also invested in additional resources and formed links with specialist robotics and soware supply partners to enable it to custom design and produce in-house automated winding machines for manufacturers looking to invest in automated, high performance carbon composite component production capabilities. Also at the NEC, Trumpf (stand K165) will be highlighting the exibility of its laser technology. Trumpf oers an extensive range of laser systems combined with global application consultancy, integration support and comprehensive aer-sales service. At this year’s show, the company will emphasise its expertise in e-mobility and aerospace with special focus on applications in satellite, rocket and engine production. From electrode production to the nished battery pack, Trumpf serves the entire process chain in battery production. In the past scal year alone, this high-tech company has sold more than one thousand lasers for battery production. Trumpf also applies its laser technology for laser metal fusion (LMF) and laser metal deposition (LMD). Visitors will also learn how the company has combined two products: it’s a new TruPrint 5000 with the TruDisk 1020 laser, to create the TruPrint Green Series. This combination of green laser and additive manufacturing makes it possible to 3D print highly- reective materials, such as copper, copper alloys and precision metals. Also at the show, The Society for the Advancement of Material and Process Engineering (SAMPE) will host the nal of its building competition. The contest aims to provide a practical composite engineering challenge through Young Engineers and Students (YES), where CompoTech: automated winding machine design and production (above left) the entrants will be challenged to create a suitable structure and display it at the show. This year, each team must apply their composites knowledge and creativity to design and construct a bridge capable of spanning a one metre gap while resisting simple weights. All teams will receive a sustainable composite material kit supplied by sponsors. Finally, CGTech (stand N112) will exhibit Vericut 9.4 at Advanced Engineering. Vericut is the world’s leading CNC simulation soware. The latest version focuses on increased connectivity between the actual machine and the virtual simulation. The new CNC Machine Monitoring module connects the soware directly to CNC machines and streams data to allow users to monitor what their machines are doing on the shopoor, live in real-time. Users can see which NC program or subroutine is running, monitor machine motions and spindle activity, see if overrides have been applied to spindle or feedrates, identify when machining has been interrupted by emergency stops or taken out of productive cycle mode, and more, all within Vericut. www.advancedengineeringuk.com SAMPE: building composite bridges (below left) Trumpf: industrial laser applications (below right) CGTech: advanced CNC simulation software (above right)
www.aero-mag.com Aerospace Manufacturing October 2023 15 SPACE PROGRAMMES ccording to Space Skills Alliance, 58% of organisations in the space sector expect to increase their headcount over the next three years, yet 46% say sta recruitment is a major barrier to their growth. Of late, well known space companies such as SpaceX have created more opportunities for people to work in the sector, in what is an exciting time to join the industry. Gary Cannon, space segment lead at Satellite Applications Catapult and a member of the Advanced Engineering advisory board, examines the recruitment issues and explains why now is the best time to join the space industry. A SPACE SECTOR FACES RECRUITMENT SpaceX has created more opportunities for people to work in the sector (above) Image courtesy of SpaceX The UK space industry has ambitious goals that it can accomplish, but getting the workforce and right people with relevant talents into the sector to execute these plans is currently posing a huge challenge. On top of creating more than 100,000 space jobs by 2030, it has been reported that the UK is aiming for its space sector to have a global market share of 10% by the end of the decade — that’s a worth of £40 billion per year. The space sector is growing fast, but companies are struggling to recruit because STEM skills are in greater demand compared to supply. I believe this is mainly due to a misconception of the available roles in the industry, along with the variety of career pathways that are ready to be taken. Aer all, space is not all astronauts and rocket scientists. There are thousands of dierent roles in the sector — be it in the rapidly growing eld of space tourism, requiring professionals in hospitality, marketing
16 October 2013 www.aeromag.com SPACE PROGRAMMES October 2023 Aerospace Manufacturing www.aero-mag.com and event management, or the need for engineers, scientists and IT specialists for new avenues of exploration and innovation from today’s technological advancements. Therefore, there are more opportunities for STEM professionals than ever before, so let’s look at what is preventing the industry from nding the right people. Mid-career shortage The space industry is relatively young compared to other sectors and is experiencing rapid growth, which has resulted in a limited pool of seniorlevel professionals with extensive experience in space-related roles. The Size and Health of the UK Space Industry 2022 survey revealed that the UK space sector is one of the most highly skilled workforce of any sector, with more than three quarters (77%) of workers holding at least one degree. However, nding individuals who possess the right combination of technical expertise, industry knowledge and leadership skills to full more senior roles is proving dicult. We are seeing many mid-career employees leave aer ve to ten years in the industry, which has created many empty roles in the executive and senior levels. In fact, a report revealed that STEM skill gaps were widely distributed across a range of specialisms, with 67% of businesses having managerial or entrepreneurial gaps. In addition, a range of managerial or entrepreneurial skills gaps were also identied by between a quarter and a half of businesses with this type of gap. It could be argued that the root cause of this issue is due to the current UK academic infrastructure. In comparison, the French space industry has plenty of mid-career workers, owing to the government getting involved with universities and their various STEM programmes that encourage people to have a broader spectrum of learning. With that said, prime integrators such as BAE and Airbus have launched several apprenticeship programmes, as they have the overhead capacity to take on training. Elsewhere, there are also other apprenticeship training schemes for graduates coming into space, including Space Placements in Industry (SPIN), which is a helpful tool for seeing which roles are available in the industry. In fact, the UK government have realised there is a need to bolster the space workforce too. They are now supporting STEM university programmes that oer specialised courses, postgraduate degrees and professional development opportunities tailored to the needs of mid-career individuals. For instance, space systems engineering has received approval to become a bonade course at university as a postgraduate. This allows students, who are studying systems engineering for instance, to apply their skills across industry and become more specialised if wanted. Aerospace to space Knowledge across sectors is another way in which the skills shortage can be tackled, providing an alternative pathway for workers to take a career diversion that is suited to their skillset. It is common for workers to transfer their skills from one sector to another, and this can be easily done from aerospace, medical device, automotive, rail and energy sectors to space, as workers in these sectors will have an understanding and the experience of the engineering processes and standards. For example, aerospace engineers possess expertise in designing and developing aircra systems. This knowledge is highly relevant to the space industry, as many of the engineering principles, such as avionics, system testing and structural design, apply to both aerospace and space systems. Of course, nuance must be factored in, as sectors can be at dierent stages in their technological advancement. Nevertheless, it is upon the employers and recruitment agencies to provide awareness around the options workers have and the dierent routes that can be taken into the space industry. Not only NASA Previously, information about jobs in the space sector was elusive, especially aer graduation. Most of the accessible job information that could be found usually involved NASA, which did not always apply to the UK and across Europe. It is possible that the shortage of information may have been the biggest deterrence to people joining the industry, but space is becoming a sector that more people want to join, and it is time to encourage those who are at the mid-career level and early graduates to ll those executive and senior roles. Today, there is much more information, which is easily accessible. Platforms such as Space Careers UK provide an in-depth platform of all the companies working in space, detailing the available roles. Alternatively, tradeshows are also a great way to nd out all the information you need, while also being able to see some of the latest technology and innovations in the space industry in person. One in particular is Advanced Engineering, featuring several exhibiting space companies, including Aquajet Machining Systems, Bluefruit Soware, GoodFellow and, of course, the Satellite Applications Catapult. With this year’s show set to unite the UK’s leading companies in the space sector to drive and discover innovation, share ideas and best practice, tickets are already being secured. To attend Advanced Engineering 2023 on November 12, register via the Advanced Engineering website below. www.advancedengineeringuk.com The space sector is growing fast, but companies are struggling to recruit (above) The Advanced Engineering show will feature several exhibiting space companies (below) Scan here for more Easyfairs articles
www.aero-mag.com Aerospace Manufacturing October 2023 17 TECHNOLOGY FEATURE: ENGINES he development of greener forms of ying is a challenging task. Replacing combustion power that has been part of its evolution from the outset means a complete transformation in engine design, fuel types, and aircra con gurations; made even more di cult with net zero targets that impose stringent timescales. Any organisation taking on this challenge must think hard about what is achievable, practical, and importantly pro table. This approach seems to encapsulate Cran eld Aerospace Solutions’ (CAeS) philosophy when it comes to what it calls Project Fresson. The project, partly funded by the Aerospace Technology Institute, aims to replace the existing piston/turboprop powered engines used on the BrittenNorman Islander sub-regional STOL nine-seater aircra, with hydrogen fuel cell electrical power. At the newly refurbished hangar on the Cran eld University site, where much of the development work on Project Fresson is being carried out, Paul Hutton, CEO of CAeS, outlined how the task was progressing. “We decided to take the research and development capabilities that we normally use on behalf of large OEMs and develop our own product,” he begins. “We wanted to develop an environmentally friendly solution, so our rst consideration was what type of aircra would be a credible option to start with?” There were many reasons why the Islander ts the bill. Firstly, it’s a wellproven light utility aircra (with its origins dating back to the sixties) used for multiple uses around the world. In fact, the twin-engined workhorse has accumulated more than 20 million ight hours providing vital services to remote communities. Secondly, it’s in the 919 passenger size platform where Cran eld believed there were already credible technical solutions to provide net zero power, and thirdly, currently around 85% of the ights that it makes (for example, hopping from one island community to another) are under 60 minutes. “The rst step on this process will be very challenging, whatever technology you choose,” Hutton says. “We rejected an eVTOL option because you don’t have the bene ts that wings give you in getting into the air. We considered the best alternative was a sub-regional aircra because that would attract interest and investment from the market, and lastly it is a segment with fewer competitors.” Cran eld also believe that as a relatively overlooked market, many of the existing aircra servicing it are older and in need of replacement Initially Cran eld considered an electric, battery powered version to replace the engines on the Islander, The unveiling of a newly refurbished hangar at Cran eld Aerospace Solutions marks a new step in its progress to net zero ight. Ed Hill was at the opening ceremony to nd out more. T SAY HELLO TO Cranfield Aerospace Solutions has chosen the BrittenNorman Islander for conversion to hydrogen fuel cell electric power {above) Paul Hutton, CEO Cranfield Aerospace Solutions {below)
18 October 2013 www.aeromag.com October 2023 Aerospace Manufacturing www.aero-mag.com TECHNOLOGY FEATURE: ENGINES but as the calculations were made, it became clear that this would not be operationally viable. “We considered batteries to give us 60 minutes of ight with 45 minutes reserve, in fact with that option we wouldn’t even be able to make the reserve,” explains Hutton. Other options such as a hybrid power source with a battery and engine range extender were also proposed but with the added weight this would also substantially reduce the aircra ’s range and would still produce some CO2 emissions. “There are advocates in the net zero aviation space, who say a particular technology is the only answer, but we are most concerned about what will practically work on an aircra that is sustainable. “We chose the Islander because it demonstrated it was likely to have a realistic commercial application, which means it is more attractive to buyers and we can attract the investment required. That is also why we chose hydrogen fuel cell technology with hydrogen gas as the fuel, because it is the best pragmatic solution.” In the Islander’s case, Craneld believe the gas – as opposed to liquid hydrogen fuel – oers more benets, not just for the aircra but for the convenience of the infrastructure needed to support it. Firstly, liquid hydrogen must be cooled adding more complexity and weight to the storage and fuel system on board. Secondly, at present the production and storage of liquid hydrogen is not widely available, particularly in the remote areas of the world that the Islander is likely to operate. “There are benets with liquid hydrogen because it uses less volume but what would be the availability at smaller airelds?,” Hutton notes. “Gaseous hydrogen can be transported in bottles on the back of a truck. Furthermore, you only need small amounts because it is very energy dense. For example, the total gas hydrogen fuel load for an Islander would be around 36kg, which is more practical for the typical island-hopping role the aircra has when it takes o and lands several times a day. “The other factor is that islands are o en able to produce large amounts of sustainable electricity, so it would be easy to install a mobile electrolyser plant to produce the hydrogen needed for the aircra and that hydrogen could also be used for heavy goods vehicles, plant etc. used by the community and produced at night when the island is not using electricity for its own power.” Bigger advances Craneld also has plans to develop larger aircra in the future using hydrogen as the main fuel. These include an aircra up to 100 seats. So how will the technology it is developing for the Islander help with larger aircra in the future? The newly refurbished hangar at Cranfield is where much of the R&D will take place for Project Fresson (above) The opening ceremony for the new hangar in July (below)
Scan here for more Cran eld articles “Zero emission technologies will not be introduced in larger aircra for some time. However, the technical problems needed to be overcome can be achieved on much smaller aircra like the Islander and applied to larger aircra , so the intellectual property’s value is not just about the product that we create it’s about the problems that we solve too.” Craneld’s partner, Reaction Engines has already been brought in to help solve the issue of heat management using a hydrogen fuel cell. “The heat we need to lose from the fuel cell nacelle on the Islander is similar to that when using a conventional engine but in a conventional engine most of that is dissipated out of the exhaust,” Hutton explains. “There is no exhaust in a hydrogen fuel cell so how do you remove that heat from the aircra and not create drag by using an option like a radiator?” The solution is Reaction Engines’ revolutionary heat exchanger technology. A design has been chosen for the Islander that has low drag but meets all the performance and durability requirements. “Thanks to their thermal management expertise we have identied a problem, solved the problem and are now integrating that into the platform as a solution. Ultimately this development it is all part of creating our own hydrogen fuel cell aircra design guide, which will be invaluable.” And for the Britten-Norman Islander the new power source will also help to secure the aircra ’s longevity. “Operators love the aircra because of its versatility and of course they have successfully own it with combustion engines for many decades. However, as the piston powered aircra currently uses AVGAS (Aviation Gasoline) which is getting costlier and harder to source as fewer reneries produce it, there is ultimately a need to nd a net zero option.” This has led to the aircra OEM oering the Britten-Norman’s Green Futures scheme which means operators who order the latest Islander will be able to upgrade it to the hydrogen powered version in the future. This oer is all part of plans for a new merged company that is being created that will leverage Craneld’s R&D expertise with Britten-Norman’s aircra manufacturing capability. Project Fresson aims to have a demonstrator aircra completed by the end of 2024 with certication for a passenger-carrying version nalised in 2026. So, CAeS is developing early hydrogen powered solutions with a distinct, no-nonsense attitude and hoping to help the UK industry make the most of this sea change in aviation. “We have a great aerospace industry in the UK, but it is mainly focused on the existing supply chain. Longer term we have the chance to create a new net zero market for sub-regional and regional aircra . If we don’t invest now that opportunity will be gone, Hutton concludes.” https://cran eldaerospace.com The Fresson Project is the start of CAeS’s plans for more hydrogen powered aircraft in the future (above)
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