NCC set to anchor future wing capabilities for Europe

Above: Engineer at UHRD Fibre Line.
Copyright NCC

NCC’s world-leading aerospace innovation capabilities have received a major boost through new investment to expand its technologies for high-value aerostructures. This advanced capability secures UK leadership in next generation wing technology and other critical structures to support future aircraft platforms.

NCC’s £15.8 million High Rate Manufacture Capital Acquisition Project (HRMCap) is awarded by the  Department for Business and Trade, Aerospace Technology Institute (ATI) and Innovate UK. The investment will be used to enhance NCC’s beyond state-of-the-art, open access technologies with a suite of 12 customer-ready capabilities to de-risk and accelerate innovation in high-rate large composite structure manufacturing.  

Industry Minister Sarah Jones said: “This government is backing aerospace. This investment will keep it at the forefront of innovation, not only delivering economic growth but boosting the charge to net zero 2030, two key pillars of our Plan for Change. This is the latest win for British aerospace in the run-up to the launch of our Industrial Strategy, which will turbocharge growth in our advanced manufacturing and defence sectors to take them to new heights, bringing new high-skilled jobs to every corner of the UK.”

Jacqueline Castle, Chief Technology Officer of the Aerospace Technology Institute said: “The investment from the ATI Programme in the HRMCap project strengthens the position of the UK as world-leading hub to develop and mature composite technologies for aerospace applications, pushing the boundaries of current practice to increase production rates and the performance of products and accelerating the uptake of composite materials into current and future generations of aircraft. HRMCap will establish advanced capabilities for the processing of large composite material structures, building on prior investment from the ATI Programme into NCC in Bristol.”

Mike Biddle, Executive Director Net Zero, Innovate UK, said: “Innovate UK welcomes the announcement of this government investment through the ATI Programme as it will ensure that UK industry has access to world class facilities and expertise to scale up advanced composite manufacturing technologies. This will establish the capability required to secure and grow UK manufactured content on the next generation of aircraft. Complementing existing investments across the UK ecosystem, this will benefit applications and programmes for ultra-high-rate next generation wing manufacture, composite fan case production and Advanced Air Mobility structures.”

Katherine Bennett CBE, CEO of the High Value Manufacturing Catapult, said: “This is a powerful vote of confidence in UK innovation, enabling our industry partners to scale-up, create high-value jobs and establish the UK as the hub for net zero aerospace manufacturing. The investment will elevate NCC’s world-leading capabilities and cement the High Value Manufacturing Catapult’s position as a frontrunner in composite wing technology."

Richard Oldfield, CEO of NCC said: “As a world-leading innovation organisation with 15 years of expertise as a trusted industry partner, NCC plays a critical role in enabling the UK’s internationally recognised aerospace cluster. HRMCap reinforces our leadership in wing technology to underpin UK competitiveness for large composite structures, securing manufacturing content required for the global narrowbody aircraft opportunity. Supported by ongoing R&D programmes with prime partners, we are extending our end-to-end engineering services for customers keen to demonstrate next generation process innovations.” 

Traditional aerospace primary structure carbon fibre technologies typically deliver between 8 to 13 articles per month, dependant on material. However, the upcoming narrowbody aircraft requires production capabilities that reach or exceed rates of 60 articles per month. NCC’s expanded solution resolves this by further developing its already novel and unique Ultra High Rate Deposition capabilities and supporting processes. Beyond anchoring future wing manufacturing in the UK, HRMCap’s multi-sector capabilities will deliver impact in wind energy, defence and other sectors.

NCC is working with a dedicated UK Industry Advisory group to design, build, test, and commission the new capabilities to ensure HRMCap’s specification meets industry needs and is ready for use. Innovating for industry, NCC’s open access high-rate manufacture technologies are available to manufacturing companies, primes and supply chain companies who could benefit from enhanced support of industrial R&D.

NCC helps companies to capitalise on innovations to deliver more at every stage of their journey across the entire product lifecycle from early concept to end-of-life.