Denroy leads aerospace overmoulding project

Composite materials are vital to the Aviation Industry because they provide structural strength comparable to metallic alloys at a lighter weight, capitalizing on their exceptional strength- and stiffness-to-density ratios and superior physical properties. This leads to improved fuel efficiency and performance from an aircraft.

We are collaborating closely with Spirit Aerosystems, and the Northern Ireland Technology Centre (NITC) at Queen’s University Belfast and will explore the processes and design techniques necessary to create thermoplastic structural parts capable of application in aircraft wings and other critical areas. Denroy’s unrelenting passion to enhance the performance of commercial and military aircraft is constantly driving the development of improved high performance structural materials. Composite materials are one such class of materials that play a significant role in current and future aerospace components. While working with industrial and academic partners, Denroy aim to increase their capacity to innovate, increase productivity and enhance the skills of the work force, ultimately strengthening their world class offering.

Gareth Deering Denroy Commercial Sales Manager said: “Denroy has always had a focus on innovation so we are thrilled to be leading this project at the cutting edge of thermoplastic technology. With the aerospace industry’s increased focus on sustainability, lightweighting and cost as well as a need for faster methods of manufacturing we expect to continue to see a significant move to thermoplastic composites by OEMs over the next 5-10 years. Denroy plans to be front and centre in that move as the go-to expert on thermoplastic component manufacture.

The hybrid moulding technology at the centre of this project is particularly exciting because it combines Denroy’s 50 years of expertise in injection moulding with the company’s capabilities in thermoplastic composites. The materials, stress and design work we are doing, and ultimately putting parts made from composite overmoulding to the test in some very harsh test conditions, will enable us to prove out the technology’s viability for critical structural applications.”

The project is being funded through the Aerospace Technology Institute, with the strong experienced team to produce parts capable of application in aircraft wings and other critical areas. The proposed technique focuses on combining short and long carbon-fibre reinforced composites to provide efficient, integrated, structures that take advantage of the complementary strengths of both material types. The project output will provide an innovative process supporting the advanced design of more efficient, more sustainable aircraft parts in line with UK aerospace needs.

There is little doubt that the considerable benefits offered by composites have yet to be fully exploited and as knowledge and understanding grow, composite materials will play an increasingly significant role. This role will expand not only because of improved material performance, but also as human ingenuity finds more and diverse areas where composite materials can be beneficially employed and leveraged and that is what makes this project so exciting.

The High Performance Thermoplastic Structural OverMoulding for the Aerospace Industry, “SOMA” project is supported by the ATI Programme, a joint Government and industry investment to maintain and grow the UK’s competitive position in civil aerospace design and manufacture. The programme, delivered through a partnership between the Aerospace Technology Institute (ATI), Department for Business, Energy & Industrial Strategy (BEIS) and Innovate UK, addresses technology, capability and supply chain challenges