Collins Aerospace invests in new equipment to expand composite components development

Published by

Nicky Godding

Collins Aerospace in Banbury is investing in a new multi-axis composite braider to support the development of continuous fibre reinforced complex shaped products.

This, coupled with Resin Transfer Moulding (RTM), will enable Collins to deliver integrated, functional, and complex products at a more competitive price that will challenge conventional materials.

In a post on LinkedIn, Russ Meddes, Business Development Manager at Collins Aerospace, said: "These are exciting times as we are already currently developing new composite components such as integrated transmission shafts, complex shaped fuel pipes, Type IV and V pressure vessels, and eVTOL battery enclosures."

The braider is in the final stages of factory testing and will be installed and commissioned over the next couple of months. It will be integrated with an automated press and high speed RTM equipment, enabling the application of snap cure resins. This highly automated development cell will be used to prove out production and demonstrate rapid cycle times.

This change will set the standard in composite manufacturing, delivering cost-competitive composite products for a variety of markets, including aerospace, automotive and green energy. The automated braiding and RTM cell is an addition to the dedicated development facility, which also includes a robotic filament winder, TFP machine, various assembly rigs, and CNC machines.

Nicky Godding

Nicky Godding is editor of The Business Magazine. Before her journalism career, she worked mainly in public relations moving into writing when she was invited to launch Retail Watch, a publication covering retail and real estate across Europe. After some years of constant travelling, she tucked away her passport and concentrated on business writing, co-founding a successful regional business magazine. She has interviewed some of the UK’s most successful entrepreneurs who have built multi-million-pound businesses and reported on many science and technology firsts. She reports on the region’s thriving business economy from start-ups, family businesses and multi-million-pound corporations, to the professionals that support their growth and the institutions that educate the next generation of business leaders.