Aerospace projects secure vital funding
CRUCIAL research and development work on eight innovative technologies is set to begin after a new round of funding to manufacturers in the West Midlands.
The £900,000 has been awarded by the National Aerospace Technology Exploitation Programme (NATEP), with the money going directly to the firms involved.
Working in collaboration, Muretex and University of Coventry are using optical head mounted displays to improve inspection methods, while Meggitt Aerospace and Ashton & Moore, with assistance from the Manufacturing Technology Centre are aiming to develop an aerospace engine valve using 3D printing.
GE Aviation Systems and Cambridge Nanotherm are looking to improve the thermal performance of power modules, Semelab and Premet are investigating whether they can lower the weight and reduce the maintenance cost of power modules by using a standard single switch and Rapita Systems and University of York are developing next-generation software verification tools.
To explore a better technique for in-situ drilling on aircraft, Teer Coatings and Kyocera Unimerco Tooling are working alongside the University of Manchester, and Welwyn Components Power & Hybrid and Accelonix have teamed up with the University of Newcastle to demonstrate the commercial benefits of a new cleaning process during device manufacture. Over the next 18 months, all these technologies will be developed in partnership with end customers, including Rolls-Royce, GE Aviation and Airbus.
These latest projects bring the total number of NATEP projects up and running in the Midlands to 15, benefiting from more than £1.75m of funding, which has been matched by the 37 local aerospace supply chain companies taking part. Nationally, there are now 46 projects under way, involving 105 aerospace supply chain companies.
The £40m NATEP programme, funded by Department for Business, Innovation & Skills (BIS), managed by ADS and delivered in the Midlands by the Midlands Aerospace Alliance, provides matched funding and expert mentoring.
The aim is to help companies develop 100 innovative technologies for new products or manufacturing processes and to create and safeguard jobs within a world-leading UK aerospace supply chain. With a further 80 outline proposals received at the close of the fourth funding round – and even more received for the final fifth round – NATEP is now hoping to exceed this goal.
Bridget Day, NATEP Deputy Programme Director, said: “What worthy winners we have in the Midlands. These are exciting ideas that have the potential to transform, sustain and augment aerospace manufacturing. What may appear to be a small change to a process can, in fact, have an enormous impact on the whole supply chain, making global aerospace safer, faster, cheaper and more sustainable.
“The teams will be collaborating this month to determine next steps and our team of technology specialists will be on hand to offer advice, training and mentoring every step of the way.”
