IISRI and Quickstep come together for cost-effective composites manufacturing
IISRI and Quickstep come together for cost-effective composites manufacturing
IISRI has joined a new research collaboration that aims to drive down the high costs of large-scale composites production.
The collaboration brings together Quickstep Holdings Ltd, Australia’s largest independent aerospace composites business, the Sovereign Manufacturing Automation for Composites CRC (SoMAC CRC) and the Institute for Intelligent Systems Research and Innovation at Deakin University.
The initial 12-month program is valued at $1 million, funded 50-50, and forms part of an anticipated multi-year development program.
According to Quickstep, carbon fibre and other composites are increasingly becoming the ‘go to’ solution in advanced industries such as aerospace and clean technology.
This collaboration will assist in further developing these capabilities and help to make our Australian manufacturing operations even more competitive.
As part of the program, the collaboration will work on Quikstep’s Aeroline system, which is focused on high-rate, low-cost production of complex, high-performance aerostructures, including complete airframes.
IISRI’s research lead Dr Bruce Gunn says through the combination of 3D photorealistic digital design, complex AI driven simulations and new robotic design principles, IISRI and Quickstep will mature its manufacturing technologies for cutting-edge airframe design and more cost-effective manufacturing system performance.
“The knowledge and technology developed will be readily transferred to other partners within the sovereign manufacturing domain,” Dr Gunn said.
This builds on Quickstep’s recent automation program to produce F-35 flares for the US Department of Defence and will support future automation and productivity at the company’s Bankstown site as well as the existing Aeroline phase one setup used in drone programs in the Geelong facility.
“This collaboration brings together some of the best advanced manufacturing minds in Australia to make significant steps forward in simulation tools to deliver high quality solutions,” Luke Preston, Quickstep’s Head of Technology and Partnerships, said.
“It’s fantastic that we have all the research and commercialisation teams to design and manufacture innovative Advanced Air Mobility solutions all right here on the Deakin Campus.”
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