Spirit AeroSystems (Spirit) has announced a significant strategic collaboration with the Oak Ridge National Laboratory Manufacturing Demonstration Facility, overseen by the University of Tennessee Battelle. This dynamic partnership is aimed at pioneering applications in hypersonic travel and next-generation aircraft.
The combined efforts of Spirit and Oak Ridge National Laboratory will be concentrated on establishing efficient, scalable manufacturing techniques for advanced materials catering to the commercial, defence, and space aerostructure sectors. A focal point of their collaboration will involve exploring cutting-edge approaches to high-temperature, in-situ process monitoring and predictive modelling. These advancements will play a pivotal role in certifying the performance of carbon and ceramic composites, along with additive manufactured alloys, based on microstructure principles. Additionally, the research teams will delve into various processing methods for materials capable of withstanding extreme heat and challenging environments. This includes the expansion of a thermal protection system tailored for aerospace platforms.
Dr. Sean Black, Senior Vice President, Chief Technology Officer, and Chief Engineer at Spirit AeroSystems, highlighted the potential of this endeavour, emphasizing its contribution to American manufacturing and emissions reduction through the Department of Energy’s Industrial Demonstration Programme. He stressed that efficient production of these advanced materials, coupled with the right manufacturing techniques, machinery, and tools, could drive success in designing and modelling fully integrated aerospace systems for both commercial and defence purposes.
The Oak Ridge National Laboratory Manufacturing Demonstration Facility stands as the nation’s foremost advanced manufacturing research establishment. It focuses on a wide spectrum of manufacturing domains, including analysis and simulation, composites and polymer systems, metal powder systems, metrology and characterization, machine tooling, large-scale metal systems, and robotics and automation. The facility, in collaboration with industry partners, is dedicated to showcasing the latest strides in new manufacturing processes, systems, and materials.
Through this collaboration, Spirit AeroSystems and Oak Ridge National Laboratory aim to shape the future landscape of aerospace manufacturing and technology.
