The UK is to benefit from an£50m boost to composites R&D for aero-structure manufacturing, with a new research facility set for construction in South Yorkshire that has aerospace giant Boeing as its first major research partner.The University of Sheffield Advanced Manufacturing Research Centre (AMRC) has secured the investment to establish the Compass (Composites at Speed and Scale) facility in Sheffield. The news was announced on 13 July by UK Chancellor Jeremy Hunt, as part of the South Yorkshire Investment Zone.

“Our first Investment Zone is a shining example of how we will drive growth across the country,” he said. “It’s already secured more than £80m of private investment, including backing from Boeing, and will help support more than 8000 jobs by 2030.”On the back of the research, Boeing has committed to procuring in excess of £2bn of UK-manufactured goods per year to support the production of the company’s next civil passenger aircraft.
For further information www.amrc.co.uk

Airbus is investing further in its UK innovation capabilities with the opening of a new Wing Technology Development Centre (WTDC) at its Filton site that will build and test demonstrators for a range of programmes and research projects. Alongside engine optimisation, making wings longer, leaner and lighter is one of the biggest opportunities to improve fuel efficiency, reduce CO2 and ultimately work towards the aviation industry’s ambition to achieve net-zero carbon emissions by 2050.

Airbus head of Filton site and Wing of Tomorrow Programme Sue Partridge says: “The new WTDC will help us to ground our research in practicality. A key element of how we deliver technology for next-generation wings is through Wing of Tomorrow [WoT], our largest research and technology programme led by the UK team.” The WoT programme allows Airbus to explore new manufacturing and assembly technologies so future generations can continue to benefit from flying.
For further information www.airbus.com

The Rolls-Royce Precision Machining Facility in Derby is using a new UMC-5X five-axis machining centre from XYZ Machine Tools to bring in-house the manufacture of fixtures for intermediate-pressure turbine blades.Tool-room managerThomas McAllister says: “We chose the UMC-5X for its price-performance metrics and use it extensively for 3+2 machining. It providesus with accuracies of 10 µm.”

He continues: “The machining process requires compound angles and we typically braze supporting pads on each fixture, machining these to suit the individual blade. For the UMC-5X we specified: a Blum tool setter and RMP 600 Renishaw probe; the kinematics option on the control; and the linear roller system for the best area of contact and fastest axis travel. We manufacture about 40 complex fixtures each year. The UMC-5X will pay for itself in less than 12 months.”
For further information www.xyzmachinetools.com

UK aircraft manufacturer Britten-Norman is planning to increase production rates and repatriate aircraft production to its historic home in Bembridge, Isle of Wight. The move is a major change for the British SME, which has been manufacturing its aircraft in Eastern Europe since the late 1960s.Britten-Norman will invest in new jigs and tooling to create two additional production lines, andintroduce new sustainable energy initiatives.

In the coming months, the company will embark on a recruitment campaign, further boosting job creation in the UK’s Solent Local Enterprise Partnership area. The focus will include aircraft fitters and technicians, production engineering and supply chain roles. In addition, the expansion will create new traineeship and apprenticeship opportunities on the Isle of Wight and in south Hampshire.
For further information www.britten-norman.com