NIAR accelerates growth of advanced materials, manufacturing

Wichita State University’s (WSU) National Institute for Aviation Research (NIAR, Wichita, Kans., U.S.) is engaging multiple federal resources and programs to accelerate and expand the growth of advanced materials and advanced manufacturing in the aviation industry in Wichita, Kan., U.S. and beyond.

NIAR leaders realize the importance of providing industry leaders and small businesses with access to understanding benefits of these technologies so it is focused on engaging with these businesses to successfully insert advanced technologies into business models and production lines of future aircraft.

“Advanced materials coupled with advanced manufacturing technologies will be one of the core drivers for success of multiple industries sectors in the future,” says John Tomblin, WSU senior vice president for Industry and Defense Programs and NIAR executive director.

NIAR received $10 million from the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) to fund these programs through the university’s long-established FAA Center of Excellence (COE) for Composites and Advanced Materials (CECAM). The FAA has allocated $4.5 million for research focused on metallic additive manufacturing (AM) for aircraft design and certification and $5.5 million for nonmetallic advanced materials research. These research programs support FAA initiatives through the evaluation of the readiness of emerging technologies and practices and in shaping FAA policy, guidance, engineering standards and training.

In addition to these funds, NIAR is actively employing a $51.4 million grant from the Economic Development Administration (EDA) aimed at the development and adoption of emerging smart manufacturing technology. The funds are already being used in the development and implementation of industry-focused training courses to introduce and familiarize technologies, such as automated fiber placement, AM and advanced machining.

The EDA grant will also fund a facility on the Wichita State campus to house smart manufacturing equipment and hybrid technical training. The Hub for Advanced Manufacturing Research, a 150,000-square-foot facility, will be near NIAR headquarters and Woolsey Hall, home of the W. Frank Barton School of Business, and will open in 2025.

The facility complements NIAR’s existing Advanced Technologies Lab for Aerospace Systems (ATLAS), a nearly $180 million investment with facilities on and off-campus focused on automated manufacturing processes that incorporate machine learning.

For related content, read “NIAR seeks industry experts for new digital twins study.”