Composite Integration wins Composites UK Industry Awards
U.K. company innovated a composites manufacturing technique capable of producing a single-piece, single-shot, infused prototype helicopter fuselage.
Group photo of the HX50 project. Photo Credit: Composite Integration
Composite Integration (Saltash, Cornwall, U.K.) has been named the winner of this year’s Composites UK Industry Awards for the “Innovation in Composite Manufacture” category, for its recent work within the aerospace industry. The award event took place Nov. 2 at the National Motorcycle Museum, Birmingham, where more than 200 people attended to celebrate composites in manufacturing.
The innovation involved Composite Integration pushing the boundaries of traditional composites manufacturing processes, working alongside Hill Helicopters (Staffordshire, U.K.) to develop a complex, vacuum-tight, multipart tool and appropriate process techniques to manufacture a carbon fiber prototype helicopter fuselage in a single-piece, single-shot, liquid resin infused molding, with no bonded joints (see “Composite Integration, Hill Helicopters collaborate to manufacture HX50”).
The team used its extensive experience in closed mold and infusion process technology to design and manufacture tooling and first-off components for the high-performance composite fuselage.
“Hill Helicopters gave us an incredibly difficult challenge, and thanks to the ambition, skill, passion and hard work of the project team, supported by Innovate UK funding, the work was extremely successful and pushed the boundaries of what was considered possible,” Richard Bland, managing director, Composite Integration, says. “It was an honor to be recognized by Composites UK for our commitment to being at the forefront of innovation in composites manufacturing.”
Composite Integration started in 2002 and has grown to serve a wide range of sectors including marine, wind energy, aerospace and automotive, amongst others, with customers in more than 20 countries. It has developed tooling, meter-mixing equipment and process technology to provide customers with the ability to manufacture a wide range of components at both high volume and large scale, with the largest components up to 85 meters in length.
From the outset the company focus has been sharing knowledge to support the customer in understanding the process, alongside delivering easy-to-use, reliable tooling and equipment. Composite Integration maintains a strong R&D focus, with a dedicated team carrying out both internal and collaborative R&D for a wide range of parts and processes.
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