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When producing parts in metal by 3D printing, also known as additive manufacturing (AM), defects can occur. In common with other manufacturing processes, these defects may consist of cracks, internal pores or impurities, and these defects could lead to premature or unexpected failure of a part. To combat this, inspection and quality assurance processes are undertaken to ensure that no defects that would impact the safety of a part are present. However, the current approaches to quality assurance in AM are expensive and time-consuming, and they are often unable to detect critical defects in the complex geometries AM excels at. Data collected from sensors in the AM process help us understand the root causes of defects and can be used to identify anomalies in the manufacturing process. The challenge is that these datasets are large, complex and require significant expertise to analyse and it is therefore difficult to use the data to make rapid decisions about part quality. NEXUS is an AI-powered software platform being developed by Nexus Additive Ltd that overcomes these challenges and unlocks the value in the manufacturing sensor data. It detects defects in near real-time and enables machine operators to evaluate part quality, removing costly inspection processes as a barrier to adoption of AM. This project will take the NEXUS platform, which has demonstrated a promising proof-of-concept, and explore its efficacy in detecting defects in safety critical components in civil aviation which require long-service life. Nexus Additive will be partnering with Rolls-Royce, GKN Aerospace, Renishaw and Imperial College. Partners representing end-users/manufacturers of aerospace components as well as metal AM equipment suppliers and a leading AM research institution. This project will show whether the NEXUS platform can detect defects in an end-user's components and prove its value as a quality assurance tool to enable and accelerate the adoption of innovative metal AM components in civil aviation.

Project ASCENT (Aerospace Composite Engineering for New Technologies), is a partnership between Rolls-Royce plc, Oxford University, Bristol University and Imperial College London. This project aims to advance state-of-the-art in the use of organic composites in gas turbine fan systems and provides significant understanding to mature Rolls-Royce's UltraFan(r) civil aerospace offerings.

System Optimisation for Noise using Advanced Technology Acoustics (SONATA) will provide Whole-Engine Noise design methods for a next generation of more efficient engine architectures from Rolls-Royce for both Narrow and Widebody applications. SONATA provides Cross-Cutting, enabling technologies and capability development for whole aircraft design using Acoustic simulation tools for the installed engine and the aircraft. The UltraFan(r) architecture enables a step change for better efficiency and lower noise by lower jet velocity and lower fan tip speed through the Power gearbox. However, with noise reductions achieved today, innovative design methods are required for a number of new/innovative technologies required for the next-generation of aircraft/engines architectures and demonstrated by the UltraFan(r), to further progress noise towards the ACARE Flightpath 2050/EU Fly the Green Deal ambition of noise reduction, while not limiting the art of the possible efficiency improvement. Therefore, noise is architecturally defining; the focus of SONATA will be on the new/innovative technologies where noise possesses the greatest architectural significance. SONATA aims at enabling the noise capability for the innovative next-generation engine architectures high-risk/impact noise sources by development of methods suitable for engine design optimization including installation at the aircraft level. Through the methods and interfaces, Rolls-Royce will be able to offer optimization of the powerplant integration and operation to the airframer and push current boundaries imposed by noise to enable larger CO2 benefits -- as digital design and modelling tools for noise become more integrated, capable and accurate.

Imagine a design system where a designer makes a small change to a component, and instantly the effect of this change propagates through the entire design system, initiating automated analyses to determine the effect of the change on the whole lifecycle attributes of the full product. Project Nene aims to reduce the length of a design iteration for a whole product from months to days. With investment in System Engineering, Product Line Components and Digital Innovation; mechanical system design will be transformed. With the ability to scale and reuse building block components, the focus will be on the incorporation of new technologies, where advantageous. With the ability to optimise systems with fast, multiple iterations, Rolls-Royce can introduce new products and product improvements faster than the competition, with superior robustness, value and performance. The next generation of ultra-efficient Ultra High By-Pass Ratio (UHBR) products, such as UltraFan(r), must be commercially viable and ready for service in the highly competitive narrow-body and wide-body markets by the 2030s. Designing such products requires extensive trade studies to be completed across the complex and heavily-interlinked design processes that form the _Engineering V-cycle_. The interdependencies of these processes require multiple design iterations, traditionally resulting in lengthy timescales and large labour burden. To address this requires a radical change in our design approach, hence the strategic requirement for Nene. Project Nene is the flagship for our innovation. Its namesake, the Nene engine, entered service in 1944, six months from the start of its design, as the most powerful engine of its era and proving to be a highly adaptable and scalable design. It is this spirit that we must achieve again. Project Nene will be enabled through two submissions. The first, (and the subject of this application), is _Digital Design Transformation_ (DDT). This will create a _High Value Digital Design System_ to deliver a disruptive innovation to the speed and accuracy at which we evaluate designs. The DDT capability will be a world-first in applying continuous-integration and an AI-enabled approach to the mechanical world. The second submission is _Digital Product Lines Foundations_, which will underpin a 'create once and use many times' philosophy, where reconfigurable and scalable digital assets can be used for variant designs, at Engine, System, and Component levels.

Project TUNE supports developing an UltraFan(r) engine integrated technology demonstrator for future single aisle aircraft. The project will understand how best to scale UltraFan(r) differentiating technology to single aisle application to maximise its value and develop novel concepts for how the UltraFan(r) can be manufactured at high rate and achieve high reliability to best meet the requirements of future single aisle aircraft concepts. In conjunction with Cranfield University and Queens University Belfast and through engagement with airframers the project will identify and develop key integration technology to maximise the installed benefit of an UltraFan(r) on future next generation single aisle aircraft and deploy digital tools to reduce time to market

Contrails are understood to contribute a significant proportion of aviation's overall climate warming impact. All flights utilising fossil fuel emit CO2 proportionally with fuel burn and therefore contribute CO2-related warming evenly with distance flown. Conversely, warming from contrails is attributable to a minority of flights depending on their flight paths and local weather conditions, meaning that addressing contrail warming can focus on this minority of flights. Multiple contrail management strategies have been proposed including targeting the use of the limited available Sustainable Aviation Fuel (SAF) to flights which are expected to produce the most warming contrails. This proposed contrail management strategy is based on the hypothesis that the combustion of SAF creates fewer soot particles than combustion of fossil jet-fuel, and thus results in contrails with a smaller climate impact. This could be an effective solution to increase the value delivered from SAF and have no impact on flights. This ambitious and exciting project is a collaboration between Rolls-Royce, British Airways, Heathrow Airport, Air BP and Imperial College London to understand the logistics required to conduct a trial on commercial flights to verify this contrail management strategy based on targeted SAF usage.

UltraFan is the Rolls-Royce proposal for the next generation of ultra-efficient civil aircraft engines, significantly reducing fuel burn in comparison with conventional propulsion technology, hence, proportionally minimising the environmental impact from the atmospheric release of the combustion products. In order to support the development of the market offering of UltraFan, Roll-Royce has engaged in a multi-year system level demonstration programme which will culminate with a flight testing campaign, to advance the readiness level of several innovative sub-system architectural technologies within a geared drive integrated configuration. SODOR will provide demonstration of efficiency and structural capabilities of components of these technologies as well as of the handling characteristics of the integrated system, by exposing the engine to the highest power conditions of the full operating running envelope.

To meet global EU objectives related to aeronautical industry competitiveness and climate-neutrality, highly advanced design technologies are needed to allow fast and reliable evaluations of innovative configurations. ROSAS aims at exploiting Artificial Intelligence (AI)/Machine Learning (ML), coupled with recent advances in Computational Fluid Dynamics (CFD) technology and the underlying turbulence modelling to reduce expensive and time-consuming physical testing and drastically accelerate the whole design optimization process. Partners will build a methodology based on defining test cases, targeting the key flow problems encountered in industrial applications and reproducing them precisely in a controlled environment via Hi-Fi simulations or experiments. The results will be gathered in a database which will serve the development and testing of novel data-driven methodologies (AI-ML) and mesh generation algorithms. Improved turbulence models, including multi-fidelity surrogate models with advanced verification and validation process, will be created with modifications based on new theoretical considerations and AI-ML-based modifications, resulting in hybridization of specific turbulence models. In addition, Application Challenge test cases will be defined in relation to Clean Aviation applications to match closely industrial configurations of interest, to assess and demonstrate the new methodologies developed in the project. ROSAS brings together 14 partners from 8 EU countries and 1 from UK. The consortium comprises 4 leading research organizations, 5 leading university groups, a Super-Computing Centre, and 3 major aeronautical industries. All partners will bring their innovativeness, infrastructures, and long experience in design and aerodynamics modelling, ensuring industrial exploitation of results by exploring new aircraft and engine concepts more effectively. 1 SME will bring experience in project management, communication, and exploitation.

Achieving the UK Aerospace NetZero 2050 target and maintaining the UK's global competitiveness will require new ultra-efficient turbofans that improve efficiency and reduce the climate impact of aviation. Ultra-efficient turbofans will reduce considerably in-flight aircraft energy consumption and will enable energy savings on zero-carbon platforms, thus reducing ground energy demand and competition for renewable energy. The project will develop Aerothermal net-Zero TEChnologies (AZTEC) for the next generation of ultra-efficient turbofan engines for widebody and narrowbody aircrafts. It will deliver efficiency and CO2 emissions improvements as well as improving aerothermal assessments enabling time-on-wing & servicing improvements that will reduce airline disruption at a competitive cost. It is a portfolio programme of related aerothermal technologies and methods that will: 1. Mature ultra-high bypass ratio turbofan engines technologies to ensuring readiness for new commercial aircraft opportunities. 2. Develop new aerodynamic technologies for the next generation of narrowbody and widebody aircraft. 3. Develop digital cross-cutting technologies that dramatically improve the speed and cost of the aerothermal design as well as unlock optimised designs through more accurate simulation of the physics. 4. Develop design capabilities for optimised in-service performance.

In order to demonstrate novel hot end technologies that deliver a step change in cooling effectiveness to enable reduced fuel burn, demonstration of the technology in an environment representative of in-service is required. HT3 Phase 3 will subject these technologies to high cyclic engine testing in a non-benign environment to support their introduction to service.

REPLENISH will develop a portfolio of maintenance, repair, inspection, sensing, and digital twinning techniques predominately to support Rolls-Royce's civil fleet through improved time on-wing and reduced in-shop costs. Rolls-Royce will lead the programme supported by the following best-in-class UK organisations: Clifton Photonics, BJR Systems, AddQual, i3D Robotics, MTC, and Universities of Nottingham, Sheffield, Birmingham, Cambridge, Manchester, and Southampton. The collaboration will develop, mature, test, verify, and demonstrate cutting-edge aftermarket servicing technologies including custom in-field robotics, adaptive-additive repairs, more-automated component inspection, novel on-engine health sensors, and Machine Learning methods for rapid decision making. Alongside underpinning more sustainable aftermarket care of Rolls-Royce's current aerospace fleet, initial development of servicing approaches for future architectures is planned.

The main goal of DEMOQUAS is to develop an efficient framework of uncertainty quantification (UQ) and provide holistic aircraft/ engine design tools (i.e. multi-fidelity, multi-disciplinary, digital threads/twins and Model Based System Engineering {MBSE} or Model Based Definition {MBD} modalities) with the capability to become ‘UQ-enabled’. In this way, it will contribute to achieving the highest level of aviation safety, regarding novel propulsion technologies. The project includes representation, characterization and propagation of uncertainties through the life cycle phases of design, manufacturing and operations, applied in six industrially relevant test cases. In this way, it will contribute to advancing the current state of the art in UQ methods, by effectively improving their efficiency (i.e. regarding ‘curse of dimensionality’ for simulation time and accuracy). The project’s ambition is to provide comprehensive UQ guidelines and enhance decision and policy making of unknown technologies’ development, support virtual certification and ensure a high level of safety and improved risk management. To achieve its main goal, the project will build on the following main objectives: • Perform detailed characterization of life cycle uncertainties for components and systems of components developed for a turboprop aircraft, based on a hybridized, liquid-H2/SAF configuration; • Employ and further develop UQ methods in a multi-layered manner: [Lifecycle] design, manufacturing/measuring, operations, [Scales/fidelities] sub-systems, systems, systems-of-systems; • Deliver an ‘as open as possible’ framework that will allow integrated propulsion system design tools/platforms to become ‘UQ-enabled’ and increase safety and risk management; • Verify and validate the UQ methodologies via testing campaigns (up to TRL5) including operational cases; • Promote the project's benefits via targeted synergies in European, national and international level.

TARGET-H2, 'Technology advancement through research, build and test for liquid hydrogen integration', develops technologies for the storage and integration of liquid hydrogen on large aircraft, enabling zero carbon emission flight. Focusing on innovation, safety and route to certification the project will demonstrate project goals through a pyramid of tests. The project will also solve the integration and safety challenges of designing aircraft with LH2 systems.

The ATI estimates that through-life engineering services in civil aerospace will be worth $2.5 trillion over the next 20 years. Within the widebody aeroengine market, airliners continue to use long-term service agreements such as Rolls-Royce's TotalCare package. In order to maximise engine uptime, product availability, responsiveness to new emerging markets and to keep the UK at the forefront of this servicing revolution, the three HOTLINE partners will develop a portfolio of high temperature protective coatings and manufacturing technologies that enable widebody aeroengines to operate more efficiently and for longer in environmentally challenging airspace globally.

Quantum computers are new types of powerful computers that are based on building blocks called qubits, that carry information in a more effective way than the bits on a conventional computer. Quantum computers have the potential to achieve computational times that are orders of magnitude faster than conventional computers. While qubits work differently from conventional bits, the computation workflow is somewhat similar: when we wish to run an algorithm, we write some lines of code that get translated into the so-called quantum circuit which then enacts a series of operations on the qubits before delivering a result. However, at the moment, this process is far from optimal, and the times needed for the pre-quantum steps required to run a calculation are prohibitively high. For quantum computers to become commercially useful, we need to not only optimise the algorithms we want to run and minimise the resources they need, but also reduce the time needed to translate them into a series of operations that can be then run on the qubits. While this constitutes an important problem for quantum computers, so far very little work has been done to address it. Another problem is that the quantum industry is currently very fragmented and still in its early stage of development. This project brings together leading quantum software and hardware companies from the UK and Canada - Riverlane and Xanadu - to help solve the technical challenge of improving the quality of the quantum algorithms and making them run easier, faster and better on the qubits. Riverlane will work on implementing techniques that allow algorithms to run using less resources, while Xanadu will develop a new hybrid classical-quantum compiler that will significantly decrease the calculation times and will allow users to use the appropriate resources in an optimal way. Rolls-Royce, a leader in power and propulsion systems will lead this project, providing real-world testcases that cannot be solved by today's quantum computers. Rolls-Royce will also develop new application software to best exploit the Riverlane and Xanadu developments. The partners will work together to combine improvements in quantum software, hardware and algorithms to significantly improve the runtime and results when running quantum algorithms. Our project brings together companies from UK and Canada to help develop quantum computers that will transform the way several sectors, such as finance, pharmaceuticals, aerospace etc. design and develop their products.

Today's pharmaceutical, chemical and materials companies rely on simulation to develop new materials and medicines. But the computers we currently use are not powerful enough to simulate large molecules or 'solid state' materials, which are used to build electronic components and devices. This is where quantum computers can help. Quantum computers are a new type of powerful computer. They are based on building blocks called qubits. Quantum computers need to get much bigger to become powerful enough to help simulate new materials and molecules. However, it's not enough to simply build quantum computers with more qubits. We also need to develop better 'algorithms' - a set of instructions for the computer -- to help reduce the number of qubits needed for the simulation of new materials. By meeting halfway, developers of quantum hardware (the qubits) and software (the algorithms) will allow materials design experts to benefit sooner from quantum computers. Building on existing algorithms research at Riverlane, this project will drastically reduce the number of qubits required for the quantum simulation of new materials. Riverlane will partner with Rolls-Royce and Samsung R&D Institute UK to build computational tools that will help them simulate large and more complex materials on a quantum computer. Riverlane will also work with the National Quantum Computing Centre to engage with other big companies who are considering using quantum computers. The results of the project can be used to help these companies understand the potential of quantum computing for their sectors and business models. The tools and knowledge developed in this project will also be integrated into Riverlane's operating system for quantum computers. This work will benefit the companies who are building quantum hardware (the qubits). By using Riverlane's operating system and algorithms, they can strengthen their relationship with 'end-users' of their technology. In summary, this project has the potential to benefit multiple industries. It will help researchers speed up the discovery of better materials while taking businesses one step closer to useful quantum computing.

Large Format Additive Manufacturing (LFAM) is a developing technology with a steadily increasing foothold within commercial manufacturing that enables the creation of **large-volume polymer/plastic components with high printing outputs**. It is an exciting proposition with the potential to deliver impactful and wide-ranging economic, environmental, and social benefits, and conservative estimation is for a global market worth £1b by 2025\. Currently, the UK only secures ~5% of the global AM market, however, conclusions from a recent, comprehensive market analysis suggest that an exploitable opportunity exists for LFAM to significantly improve this situation. The existing commercial LFAM market is comprised of overseas-manufactured machines, and these mainly have operational complexity, slow build times, limited material range, and poor-quality products, which precludes widespread adoption. Better-performing offerings are prohibitively expensive. The UK has no LFAM machine manufacturing capability, whilst leading competitors have this advantage. The EVO-ONE project has been scoped to comprehensively address challenges to securing a market-leading position through designing, manufacturing, and constructing **a technologically advanced LFAM** **3D printer system (EVO-ONE)** and taking the platform to TRL 6\. EVO-ONE offers unique advantages: * **Affordable purchase and operation costs** * **Faster productivity** * **Quality products** * **Reliability** * **Increased capability** * **Ergonomic, easy to use** * **Adaptability/flexibility** * **Minimised waste, energy, and emissions** * **Wide range of recycled material feedstock** The realisation of this advanced system will provide UK stakeholders with proprietary capability, enabling EVO-3D to exploit the **high integrity/high-value manufacturing sectors, with an estimated £300m worth.** The consortium benefits from well-established partner relations and has the prerequisite skills, knowledge, expertise, and experience to achieve success: * **EVO-3D** machine design and manufacture * **AiBuild** CAM software developer * **Filamentive** recycled feedstock identification, qualification, supply * **NMIS** Additive Manufacturing, polymer material testing, and routes to exploitation/ commercialisation expertise * **Rolls-Royce and Baker Hughes** end-use-case provision, continuous feedback during the development stage to de-risk progressive activity, ensure commercial success

KAIROS will improve the quality of meteorological information provided to the aviation community through the use of artificial intelligence. By producing accurate digital weather forecasts at longer lead times, aviation stakeholders will be bettered position to mitigate the impacts of weather on their operations. KAIROS will mature the TRL of results from previous SESAR Exploratory Research projects, with the goal of reaching TRL 7 through the completion of operational demonstrations. The project will integrate live weather information from AI forecasts with existing decision support tools and platforms to assess the operational benefits to several end-users. The KAIROS solution will enable a paradigm shift in the management of demand capacity balancing at all levels of the European airspace system including network level, local FMP, and UAM. KAIROS AI-based weather forecasts are intended to be an enabling technology that will unlock operational efficiencies and the automation of planning activities within the airspace system. By providing accurate weather forecasts earlier in the air traffic flow management process, aviation stakeholders including ANSPs, airports, and airlines will be able to formulate strategies to minimize the disruption to their operations.

Rolls-Royce has assembled a world-class consortium of UK industry and academia to develop the next generation of microprocessors for use in aerospace and other harsh environments. The next generation of aircraft, designed to meet net-zero targets, will require more complex, intelligent, autonomous, and connected systems, and at the heart of those software-enabled systems is the need for a cyber-secure, high-integrity processor. Microprocessor design and manufacture is complex, and typically commercial off-the-shelf automotive and general-purpose microprocessors are repurposed for aerospace. That approach has issues of obsolescence, complexity and design trade-offs that have long-term cost implications. Recent experience in the automotive industry has also demonstrated how the supply chain for off-the-shelf components can be significantly and adversely affected by global events such as COVID. Project SCHEME (Safety-Critical Harsh Environment Micro-processing Evolution) will develop a new generation of UK-native, safety critical and cyber-secure microprocessors. Developing a bespoke processor reduces design and through-life costs, ensures security of supply and provides protection from the global issues that face the semiconductor industry. The project will initially develop a control processor suitable for high-integrity control and monitoring. A manufacturing and support solution will be developed that provides better obsolescence protection than is available from off-the-shelf devices. It will also provide an associated electronics, security and software tooling infrastructure to enable the UK to strengthen its position in high-integrity avionics design and manufacturing. This project will build UK national resilience in this area and make the processor available not only to aerospace, but in other areas where systems operate in harsh environments. SCHEME will engage with the wider community to identify and pursue exploitation opportunities, including supporting potential adopters with microprocessor trials. The project will put the UK in a position to design and build the low-carbon, intelligent systems that will be critical to society in the future. The project is partly funded by the UK government agencies, BEIS, ATI, and Innovate UK. Rolls-Royce is joined by TT Electronics, Volant Autonomy, Rapita Systems, Adacore, The Manufacturing Technology Centre, Queen's University Belfast, University of Bristol, University of Sheffield, and University of York.

For competitive product offerings for future civil large and business aviation gas turbine engines, Roll-Royce has identified opportunities through a step change in the materials utilised in rotating compressor components, primarily in discs and Linear Friction Welded (LFW) blisks. Advancements in titanium alloy technologies have resulted in higher strength materials being available in the market that will enable the design of smaller and lighter weight components. By expanding the design space, new component design architectures would be possible. This would support the necessary engine architectures required for incorporating gearboxes or embedding electrical generators in future Ultra-efficient and Zero-carbon emission propulsion engines. This programme aims to mature a High Strength Titanium (HSTi) alloy to TRL6 and develop UK capabilities to design & manufacture advanced components in HSTi. Some of the key deliverables from this programme are listed below: * Qualification of a new high strength titanium alloy for use in both critical disc components and compressor aerofoils * Full lifing correlations for understanding of operational boundaries, * Development of joining processes for dissimilar alloy joining and fabrication of large critical rotating components such as fan discs, * Extend knowledge on the complex phenomenon of cold dwell fatigue and its applicability to the latest titanium alloys. This programme will provide a solid foundation to exploit the latest titanium alloys, which will offer a step change in capability. It is anticipated to make a significant contribution to performance increases and weight reduction on future engines. The impact of HSTi on current repair techniques will be assessed as part of the validation programme. More advanced repair techniques will be considered in future repair technology programmes. Potential collaborators are universities and research centres such as University of Birmingham (UoB), Advanced Forging Research Centre (AFRC), and Imperial College London (ICL), Swansea University (SU), as well as selected specialist engineering resources (O'Donnell Consultancy Services (ODCS)).

The UK aerospace sector needs to be at the forefront of cross-cutting enabling infrastructure and tools to support the delivery of the ultra-efficient and zero-carbon emission technologies, in a market where rate will need to double and compressing design cost and time is ever more important. Reducing the time and cost from design and production will secure UK competitiveness for a share of up to 18% of the £4.3 trillion market to 2050\. MUSIC is a bold and far-reaching project aimed at leveraging the world-leading capabilities of the UK to develop a portfolio of advanced manufacturing technologies for the growing civil large Propulsion & Power system market. Rolls-Royce are the programme lead, supported by the University of Sheffield (Advanced Manufacturing Research Centre), the University of Strathclyde (Advanced Forming Research Centre), the Manufacturing Technology Centre, the University of Birmingham, the University of Nottingham and the University of Glasgow. The project will generate new manufacturing capabilities to enable new design architecture, reduce engine set value, minimise through-life cost and improve the manufacturing sustainability for application in the current Aerospace Engine fleet and future engines including UltraFan(r), with read-across opportunities to other sectors including Defence, Electrical and Power Systems. The seven MUSIC partners will develop a portfolio of machining, assembly, forging, casting and inspection techniques to reduce the cost and improve the productivity within the Rolls-Royce UK manufacturing facilities and its UK supply chain. Given how transformative these approaches will be, and the direct and spill-over benefits to the UK manufacturing and aerospace industry, the programme is considered to provide significant value for money to the UK.

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The RACHEL project builds on previous technology development in terms of both practices and the partnership, bringing a mix of large OEM's (Spirit Europe and ITP UK), SME's (Causeway and Reaction), research and Academia (NCC and various universities) plus subtiers of UK suppliers, all bringing novelty and agile working. The aim is to develop technologies and architectures that deliver an effective and practical hydrogen combustion gas turbine powerplant able to operate safely, practically and reliably with Liquid H2 fuel across the full operating range, and to deliver a commercially viable product. The UK government 10 Point Plan for a Green Industrial Revolution, and Jet Zero pushes forward the goal of sustainable air travel. Similarly, the Aerospace Technology Institute has called on the UK aviation industry to prioritise sustainability and lead action on environmental imperatives. Transition to alternative energy sources to today's kerosene is regarded as one of the technology priorities, and hydrogen is one fuel that could power aircraft in the coming 10-15 years. Particularly, development of a hydrogen-fuelled gas turbine combustion system has been identified as a key enabler for zero carbon emission flight, as gas turbine powered aircraft currently account for 96% of today's aviation carbon emissions. This is far from easy. Despite the advantage of being a very clean fuel, producing almost pure water as an exhaust product, hydrogen unfortunately has a very low energy density compared to kerosene, meaning that the fuel will have to be in the form of a cryogenic liquid to enable aircraft to fly any appreciable distance. The extremely low temperature of liquid hydrogen, -253 °C, is an incredibly harsh environment for the engine components, and many technological challenges will have to be overcome to produce a hydrogen-powered gas turbine that has the same exacting requirements of quality, performance, reliability and safety as today's engines. Combustion of hydrogen brings many challenges, both in terms of the transportation of the hydrogen fuel (cryogenic and gaseous) and also the heat management and secondary and tertiary oil systems. As the system leverages electrical power, the incorporation of electrical systems and the integration into the powerplant is key in this project. Additionally, innovative tank solutions will not only develop solutions capable of gaseous fuel storage but will also solve the issue of purging media storage. The exciting project is jointly funded through contribution from the project partners and UK government agencies, BEIS, Innovate UK and ATI.

A consortium led by Rolls-Royce, including Cranfield University, easyJet, Heathrow Airport, MTC, Reaction Engines, UCL and University of Oxford is developing gas-turbine control system technologies that will enable aircraft engines to operate on liquid hydrogen. The UK government has a 10 Point Plan for a Green Industrial Revolution, and Jet Zero which pushes forward sustainable air travel is one of its goals. Similarly, the Aerospace Technology Institute has called on the UK aviation industry to prioritise sustainability and lead action on environmental imperatives. Transition to alternative energy sources to today's kerosene is regarded as one of the technology priorities, and hydrogen is one fuel that could power aircraft in the coming 10-15 years. Particularly, development of a hydrogen-fuelled gas turbine combustion system has been identified as a key enabler for zero carbon emission flight, as gas turbine powered aircraft currently account for 96% of today's aviation carbon emissions. Achieving this vision is far from easy. Despite the advantage of being a very clean fuel, producing almost pure water as an exhaust product, hydrogen unfortunately has a very low energy density compared to kerosene, meaning that the fuel will have to be in the form of a cryogenic liquid to enable aircraft to fly any appreciable distance. The extremely low temperature of liquid hydrogen, -253 °C, is an incredibly harsh environment for the engine components, and many technological challenges will have to be overcome to produce a hydrogen-powered gas turbine that has the same exacting requirements of quality, performance, reliability and safety as today's engines. The project, named LH2GT will develop the technologies to control and transport the fuel from the aircraft's liquid hydrogen fuel tank to the engine combustor, including cryogenic pumping, fuel metering, system thermal management, intelligent control systems and component life optimisation. Additionally, LH2GT will carry out a techno-economic analysis of the impact of the introduction of the technology to help inform component design requirements. The technology developed here will be equally applicable to fuel cell as well as gas turbine powered aircraft, which opens the possibility of further improvements in aircraft fuel efficiency in the future. Over a timescale of three years, the project will culminate in a working demonstration of the fuel system. This exciting project is jointly funded through contribution from the project partners and UK government agencies, BEIS, Innovate UK and ATI.

no public description

The HYEST project builds on previous technology development in terms of both practices and the partnership, bringing together Rolls-Royce, and highly experienced academic organisations (Universities of Cranfield, Loughborough & Swansea). The project will also engagement widely with a solely UK supply chain. The aim is to develop technologies and architectures that deliver an effective and practical hydrogen combustion gas turbine powerplant able to operate safely, practically, and reliably with Liquid H2 fuel across the full operating range, and to deliver a commercially viable product. The UK government 10 Point Plan for a Green Industrial Revolution, and Jet Zero pushes forward the goal of sustainable air travel. Similarly, the Aerospace Technology Institute has called on the UK aviation industry to prioritise sustainability and lead action on environmental imperatives. Transition to alternative energy sources to today's kerosene is regarded as one of the technology priorities, and hydrogen is one fuel that could power aircraft in the coming 10-15 years. Particularly, development of a hydrogen-fuelled gas turbine combustion system has been identified as a key enabler for zero carbon emission flight, as gas turbine powered aircraft currently account for 96% of today's aviation carbon emissions. This is far from easy. Despite the advantage of being a very clean fuel, producing almost pure water as an exhaust product, hydrogen unfortunately has a very low energy density compared to kerosene, meaning that the fuel will have to be in the form of a cryogenic liquid to enable aircraft to fly any appreciable distance. The extremely low temperature of liquid hydrogen, -253 °C, is an incredibly harsh environment for the engine components, and many technological challenges will have to be overcome to produce a hydrogen-powered gas turbine that has the same exacting requirements of quality, performance, reliability and safety as today's engines. This exciting project is to be jointly funded through contribution from the project partners and UK government agencies, BEIS, Innovate UK and ATI.

This project is one of several 'Flagship-Projects' that form the Digital-Supply-Chain-Innovation-Hub (**DSCI-Hub**). These testbeds will act as development-environments for new technologies and solutions - demonstration environments to help inform UK manufacturers of the state of the art, enabling testing and benefits quantification for new technology providers, and sand-pits for manufacturers to design and test new solutions. The DSCI-Hub Industrial-Advisory-Group has identified that data sharing and collaboration are key elements for effective digital supply-chains. The project vision is to develop and demonstrate a method for seamless bidirectional engineering data communication in supply-chains. The project focuses initially on the Tempest-programme, with findings disseminated throughout the aerospace and defence industries and other high-value manufacturing supply-chains. Targeted outputs include: a) Universal **standards** for Model-Based Definition (**MBD**). b) Development of **novel frameworks** for MBD and software-agnostic tools for data-transfer c) **Demonstration** of the effectiveness of the new frameworks. This project is led by the High Value Manufacturing Catapult (**HVM-Catapult**). The work of the HVM-Catapult will be mainly delivered by two HVM-Catapult centres: the Advanced Manufacturing Research Centre North-West (**AMRC**) and the National Composites Centre (**NCC**). The National Physical Laboratory (**NPL**), in WP2, leads a significant programme of work on standards development as co-investment. Industrial-partners are **BAE Systems** and **Rolls-Royce**, key members of Team-Tempest. **Thales** are very interested in participating in the project and can contribute significantly from a data security perspective. They are currently undergoing an internal approval-process and, when this is complete, we will look to integrate them into the project. Vendors such as **Salesforce** and **Siemens** have committed to the DSCI-Hub and will also contribute to this Flagship-Project. Rolls-Royce have provided the following statement-of-intent for this bid: "Rolls-Royce has an established supply-chain together with new-entrants driven through a process of open-innovation. We are selecting suppliers for Tempest in line with the programme requirements. At the time of writing this latest iteration of the Innovate-UK submission, we are unable to be explicit about which specific suppliers we will work with through the DSCI-Hub. This is because it will depend upon the design/make lead-time, and complexity of the parts being sourced, the digital maturity of the supplier, and the contracting timescales. However, we see a clear need for the DSCI-Hub from our early supplier-engagements and we are confident that, once launched, we will be using the DSCI-Hub with a broad selection of our suppliers including SMEs." **Grant is only required for the HVM-Catapult.**

Quantum computers will transform numerous industrial sectors, from the major aerodynamic simulations used to optimise jet engine design, through artificial intelligence, machine learning and the data economy, to drug discovery. Quantum computers are set to be as game-changing as the development of conventional computers in the last century, as they will be able to solve high-impact problems which would take the fastest supercomputer billions of years. A primary goal of UK's National Quantum Technology Programme is translating the UK's academic excellence in developing practical quantum computers into economic prosperity, by building a quantum computing industry sector including relevant supply chains. The biggest remaining challenges in realising universal quantum computation are in scaling up to fault-tolerant machines with millions of qubits. The quantum hardware developed in QCorrect will be capable of overcoming the limitations faced by competitors around the world propelling the UK to become a leader in commercial quantum computing. While competing platforms based on superconducting qubits are limited in the number of qubits they can realise because of the requirement to cool microchips to -273C, our platform is based on trapped-ions and does not require such cooling. Our platform is also suitable for implementation of efficient and scalable error-correction algorithms which improve the performance of the computer whilst reducing the hardware requirements. The combination of these factors offers the opportunity to develop systems featuring much larger qubit numbers. Full silicon microchip integration will allow the creation of self-sufficient electronic quantum computing modules to be deployed and made cloud-accessible for end-user investigation during the project. Hardware/software co-development is led by system integrator Universal Quantum and quantum software developer Riverlane, together with leading subsystem manufacturers for vacuum systems (Edwards) and microwave technologies (TMD Technologies, Diamond Microwave) incubating a quantum computing supply chain in the UK. The University of Sussex will perform use-case demonstrations and deliver performance enhancements aided by theoretical innovations from Imperial College London. In order to ensure a pathway to commercialisation, applied Computational Fluid Dynamics (CFD) experts at Rolls-Royce and STFC will work with Riverlane and UQ to develop a quantum approach to solving partial differential equations that underpin commercially-relevant simulations in the UK aerospace sector. Exploitation/dissemination partners Sia Partners will develop a roadmap to commercialisation of application-specific tools in CFD and Qureca will develop broader use-cases that depend on solving partial differential equations. The consortium will execute the first use-case demonstrations and streamline hardware/software development towards practical applications.

All-electric aerospace propulsion systems are dominated by battery weight, performance and safety. The challenge is maintaining levels of safety and reliability whilst minimising incremental weight. Optimising a single design for extremely diverse platform requirements is not possible and a portfolio of design concepts mapped to requirement families is needed. Innovation will be centred on the effective use of multifunctional and integrated design features with a robust safety case. The project will mature core concepts to fully verified modules clarifying which concepts are viable and optimal, through prototypes for demonstrators and will define core designs that can be exploited into products.

CORDITE will develop technologies to enable more efficient Ultra High Bypass Ratio (UHBR) engines by improving the aerodynamics of the core systems (compressors, combustors, turbines and air-systems). It is a portfolio programme of related aerothermal technologies and methods that will: improve core component efficiencies through exploitation of greater fundamental understanding; transform aerothermal designs through new advanced tools; and develop design capabilities for optimised in-service performance. Primary exploitation will be via Rolls-Royce's UltraFan and Trent engine families, where CORDITE technologies will deliver fuel burn and emission reductions as part of a relentless drive to reduce the environmental impact of aviation.

FibreSense is a collaborative research programme to develop on-engine sensing capability using novel Fibre-optic technologies. Initially considering bay monitoring for overheat and fire protection applications this technology development and evaluation programme is envisaged to provide higher resolution data compared to incumbent technologies enabling improved life/ failure diagnostics and reduced in-service events. Through this programme the partners aim to develop joint technology roadmaps to explore future opportunities for technology exploitation in health monitoring and propulsion system control.

Rolls-Royce Plc. will lead the FANTASIA (Future Noise Technologies And Systems Integration Analytics) project which seeks to develop, model and validate noise technologies to ensure integrated propulsion systems that will achieve the required noise levels for the novel UltraFanTM engine architecture as well as future hybrid-electric offerings. Multi-disciplinary optimisation techniques will be developed to design for the optimal noise, sfc and emissions levels. Computational fluid dynamics and source separation techniques will be enhanced to replace expensive testing and give early indications of design suitability. Project cost is £11.2m over 48 months, starting January 2021 and completing December 2024\.

Sustainable transport and mobility are crucial to the global environment, economy and society. Today's larger aircraft can operate efficiently with high passenger numbers or high freight loads. This has led to the current Hub-and-Spoke (HAS) model of airport operations designed for large aircraft. This results in very congested major airports and long door-to-door travel times for passengers. This is costly to both passengers and air transport system operators. These larger aircraft also contribute significantly to the climate emergency through carbon emissions. The UK Government has pledged to make air transport net-zero by 2050 -- balancing production and removal of carbon by the sector. Tomorrow's **smaller electric aircraft, with more frequent departures,** will enable the move from HAS operations to a more direct Point-to-Point (PTP) model. This net-zero aviation system will improve public access to flight routes, reduce congestion at major hub airports, create more economically viable regional air transport operations and **cut carbon emissions**. This project uses a holistic systems approach to simulate and physically demonstrate the viability of electric aircraft in regional air transport operations and the changes needed to achieve a **scalable ecosystem with demonstrable** economic and environmental impact. The 2ZERO project will carry out flight demonstration of a novel 365KW initial prototype of 6-seat hybrid electric (HE) aircraft to assess performance capabilities and operational requirements. The project will also integrate a parallel HE architecture and novel battery pack energy system into a 1MW 19-seat hybrid electric (HE) Twin Otter aircraft to prepare for flight demonstration in Phase3\. This would be the largest passenger capacity for which HE flight is demonstrated. Modelling and simulation will be used to optimise flights based on this class of HE aircraft. This research will uncover the system-wide changes necessary for future operations of HE aircraft, including new standards and certification, airport infrastructure, demand management for renewable ground power (storage, distribution, and charging), optimisation of ground operations and air traffic route systems. Significantly reduced operating costs and the PTP route structure will dramatically improve flexibility for airline operators and ease congestion at major hubs by creating viable routes from smaller regional airports. Environmentally, HE aircraft enables 100% clean energy operation in the UK through infrastructure changes and near-term bio-jet fuel use, achieving up to 75% emissions reduction. Additionally, aircraft in-flight noise will be reduced by 40-50%, and by 90% on the ground. Both the noise and emissions reductions improve quality of life for communities surrounding airports. Economically, HE aircraft will cut direct fuel costs by 50-75% and maintenance/overhaul costs by 25%-50%. The overall airline operating costs will decrease by up to 25%. As the PTP model will serve more city- and village- pairs at an affordable cost, communities will be more connected, creating more economic opportunities.

**Project NAPKIN - New Aviation, Propulsion, Knowledge and Innovation Network** **NAPKIN is** **developing** **the blueprint for a UK sustainable aviation system supporting the UK's leadership** **position in aviation innovation and action on climate change and directly addressing its need for rapid, affordable** **and** **sustainable regional connectivity.** Our high quality UK consortium draws on existing knowledge and expertise to deliver this timely project which will help to pave the way for low and zero carbon domestic and short haul aviation this decade. Moving towards a sustainable aviation system requires transformative change and coordinated action. NAPKIN uses a '5As' model of the aviation ecosystem - integrating Air passengers, Airports, Aircraft, Airspace, and Airlines - building a comprehensive picture of the conditions that will enable the transition to regional electric and sustainable aviation and the landscape of future products, services and infrastructure. Cranfield Aerospace (via project Fresson), GKN and Rolls-Royce (via Fresson, Efan-X, Accel etc) have developed electric aircraft conceptual designs. Cranfield University, University College London and the University of Southampton bring deep expertise and sophisticated modelling, complemented with input from Deloitte. Heathrow Airport, Highland and Island Airports and London City Airport bring the different contexts and ground operational experience to demonstrate viability across the UK. An airline focus group brings the project to life guiding the project with a clear pathway to a commercial reality. A model of affordable domestic sustainable aviation has the potential to solve carbon, connectivity and commercial challenges together. We believe that regional and sub-regional sustainable flight presents the necessary an economic and environmental opportunity the UK must grasp with urgency.

For a gas-turbine engine, ultimate validation to inform TRL6 capability includes Fan-Blade-Off (FBO) testing. Rolls-Royce plc will lead FANBOT to deliver that test along with the pre- and post-test analysis ensuring post-event engine structural integrity. Related to FBO are the fan system containment and orbital run-on tests that are also part of the project. Thus, FANBOT will complete the suite of enabling projects that underpin the UltraFan(r) technology demonstrator, validating a new engine architecture to take Rolls-Royce and its' supply chain into the post-Trent era. The total project costs £34.5M over 48 months, commencing June 2020, completing May 2024\.

CoGS will develop hybrid metallic composite aero engine components. The technology will be applied to a mainline shaft and the planet gears within an epicyclic gear box. The predicted weight reduction is significant, resulting in a reduction in aircraft fuel burn and a reduction in CO2 emissions. There are applications of this technology in other sectors, however this is the first application within an aero engine for both mainline shaft and planet gears. The project will be led by Rolls-Royce, Romax will join as a partner and Lentus Composites as a sub-contractor, both suppliers are UK based.

The ATI estimates that through-life engineering services in civil aerospace will be worth $2.5 trillion over the next 20 years. Within the widebody aeroengine market, airliners continue to use long-term service agreements such as Rolls-Royce's TotalCare package. In order to maximise engine uptime and product availability, and to keep the UK at the forefront of this servicing revolution, the eight REINSTATE partners will develop a portfolio of sensing, inspection, and repair techniques for use within on-wing installed engines, in the aerospace maintenance, repair, and overhaul network, and in an array of neighbouring industrial sectors.

The aim of Project High-T Hall is to demonstrate an integrated UK supply chain solution for advanced Hall sensing within PEMD. This would bring together a UK SME (Paragraf Ltd.) as the Hall sensor die producer, TT Electronics (Semelab and AeroStanew) to provide bespoke packaging solutions and Rolls Royce as the end user/customer of the devices. Technical engineering will be provided additionally by the Compound Semiconductor Applications Catapult (CSAC) Power Electronics and Advance Packaging teams. Project High-T Hall focus' on Hall sensors operating in harsh environments of elevated temperature, to measure switching frequencies of and ultimately control electric motors and generators. In essence, High-T Hall will bring together the necessary Hall sensing supply chain elements, integrated through UK packaging capability, and then evaluate performance at temperature in a state-of-the art SiC-based Aerospace application. High-T Hall would be disseminated through the CSAC professional networks, at industry events and press. The output of the project will be an enabled supply chain that would be geared up to support harsh environment PEMD systems. Furthermore, graphene has been much touted as a material which is capable of solving many issues in different electronic devices

Awaiting Public Project Summary

Designing products collaboratively and exploiting new technologies in the age of artificial intelligence (AI) and machine learning (ML) requires novel approaches to the ways engineering teams must work. In the COLIBRI project we will explore and develop new tools that exploit advances in AI/ML to improve and speed up the collaborative design environment for the UK's aerospace design community. This will include the use of advanced design process automation tools, voxel based geometry to augment the capabilities of conventional CAD tools and generative adversarial network and convolution neural methods to provide an AI/ML layer to these tools.

LUCIA (Large UltraFan Composite Integrated Aerostructures) is a key enabler for the delivery of the UltraFan powerplant, by introducing unique new components to the UK aeronautical supply chain. A consortium of strategically important UK suppliers, innovative SMEs and leading aerostructure research universities will collaborate to push the boundaries of composite technology through providing novel large-scale bypass structures for performance in arduous environments. This includes the development of design solution for a powerplant flight pylon - a first for UK industry - providing fundamental learning for a future composite pylon, unlocking significant weight benefits and offering a technology not currently available in the global marketplace.

Awaiting Public Project Summary

Public description Industrial Digital Technologies (IDT's) are disrupting industries across the globe. The breadth and depth of these changes herald the transformation of entire systems of production, management, and governance. There is overwhelming evidence that IDTs can provide a step change in industrial productivity(2). The Smart Connected Factory is central to this goal; it will alter the way production is performed based on smart connected machines/ devices but also smart products. However, the application of these technologies at scale presents many challenges, and there are few examples of Smart factories which provide full real-time data integration from the 'shop floor to the top floor '. These factories tend to operate with single vendor propriety technologies or have undertaken significant investment in creating bespoke integration of multi-vendor solutions. Such approaches are costly to develop and maintain and prevent continuous open innovation. The application of these technologies at scale still presents many challenges such as lack of standards creating technical interoperability issues, cyber threats, high number of legacy assets and constrained devices limiting data exploitation opportunities This proposal delivers solutions for shop floor connectivity including legacy devices, analytics, and integration with the Manufacturing Execution layer of the ISA-95 architecture. It demonstrates how through rapidly maturing and fusing IDT through proof of value projects solutions can be scaled quickly to realise real productivity improvement. It addresses 3 broad innovation challenges :- 1. How to address the technical barriers to IDT introduction? Addressing the challenge of merging IT and OT. In industry 4.0 these entities must act as one to exploit technologies such as AI/ ML, big data etc. 2. How to rapidly mature and deploy IDT to match the exponential pace at which it is being developed? Demonstrate a rapid open innovation methodology to co create IDT solutions tailored for complex Industrial environments based on the 3 key tenets of Invent:- Focus on Open Innovation / design thinking and shared development of common solutions Incubate:- Focuses on the rapid prototyping of solutions to demonstrate Proof of Value Industrialise:- Understanding the route to scale utilizing 4 key methods of Design thinking, Design Sprints, Lean experiments and agile delivery. 3. How to leverage standards to innovate at pace by removing vendor 'lock out' due to the use of proprietary standards? The goal is to develop an Interoperability & standards road map in recognition of the role standards play in accelerating innovation and deployment. (2)made_smarter_review

The main objective of the project is to accelerate the development of the Lean Burn technology anticipating tougher future regulatory requirements for emissions, allowing Rolls-Royce to exploit any future opportunities on next generation wide-body aircraft and/or UltraFan(r) variants. Additionally, the project will further explore innovative manufacturing techniques, cutting-edge component technologies and novel architectures to enable significant improvement to the attributes of Lean Burn targeting weight, reliability and dispatchability to deliver world class Lean Burn capability.

Awaiting Public Project Summary

See attached signed ' Project Change Request #4 - Scope Clarification ' letter from Rolls-Royce

Rolls-Royce are synonymous with safe and reliable power, and produce the world's most efficient aerospace gas turbine engine. To maintain safety and efficiency, Rolls-Royce perform routine inspection and servicing of their engines throughout its lifecycle. As engines wear, the most critical components may show signs of deterioration that may lead the engine to be removed from service ahead of its next scheduled overhaul. To address these challenges, and to maximise engine availability and time on-wing, Rolls-Royce continues to lead the way in the development of in situ inspection and repair techniques. Such tools can be deployed via a range of access holes (or "borescope ports") across the side of the engine, and navigated to the area of interest. Once there, a range of inspection and maintenance tasks can be performed by a highly-skilled mechanic, such that the engine can be safely returned into service. Due to the geometrical restrictions, and the required dexterity and capability of the tools, this approach is analogous to keyhole surgery. THEMIS (THickness Evaluation and Measurement In Situ) aims to increase Rolls-Royce's portfolio of in situ inspection techniques. In particular, the aim is to develop a process that can measure the thickness of components and coatings when the engine is still intact and installed. This will allow an even more in-depth understanding of the integrity of the asset, and thus allow the mechanic to determine whether further maintenance is required or if the engine is safe to fly-on. THEMIS is highly challenging project, but would help to develop a technique that would have a significant value to the Rolls-Royce Aftermarket Services team.

Development of an electric propulsion system with range extender and conversion of a Britten Norman Islander flying demonstrator to electric power, enabling full flight certification for commercial service. This aircraft is used for vital services to isolated communities. Converting to electric power will not only ensure the continuance of a critical lifeline but also the reduction of local carbon emissions and increase in the use of renewable energy. This project will enable the first passenger-carrying aircraft capable of all-electric flight, attracting investment from across the globe to the UK, boosting jobs and the UK's standing in the global aerospace industry.

HICLASS is a project to enable the delivery of the most complex software-intensive, safe and cyber-secure systems in the world. It is a strategic initiative to drive new technologies and best-practice throughout the UK aerospace supply chain, enabling the UK to affordably develop systems for the growing aircraft and avionics market expected over the next decades. It includes key primes, system suppliers, software companies and universities working together to meet the challenge of growing system complexity and size. HICLASS will allow development of new, complex, intelligent and internet-connected electronic products, safe and secure from cyber-attack that can be affordably certified.

FANDANGO (FAN Design And iNtegrity, GO) will deliver the flight worthy UltraFan fan system for demonstration of the most arduous test conditions met by an in-service gas turbine. Utilising learning from the first iteration design cycle and current research programmes, the project will deliver an optimised and validated system to TRL5\. Manufacturing processes will push boundaries to reduce leadtime on novel composite components and world-leading research will be conducted into novel predictive capabilities relating to fan system performance under off-design conditions. UltraFan technologies facilitate competitive aero engines from Rolls-Royce for future aircraft.

Develop a supply chain for novel Silicon Carbide Junction Gate Field-Effect Transistor devices for use in lightning strike protection and power electronics applications in aerospace; providing higher temperature capable and more radiation tolerant electronics to facilitate the More Electric Engine.

POPCOT (POwerPlant COmpatibility Testing) project seeks to validate the novel UltraFan architecture through confirming the aeromechanics responses of a large diameter low speed composite fan system technology. This will be achieved through performing indoor and the first ever outdoor testing of the UltraFan architecture to confirm predicted performance and noise reduction benefits of the new composite fan system technology encased within a novel low drag nacelle. New transportation tooling will be developed to relocate an instrumented UltraFan demonstrator vehicle to an outdoor facility and test stand.

RUCOSS (Realising UltraFan(r) Capability Of Software intensive Systems) enables Rolls-Royce Control Systems to transform the development of safety critical engine systems through development of new tools, processes and technologies for the first implementation of a Systems and Software 'factory' aimed at delivering a step change in engineering efficiency, productivity and quality. It has as its central theme a product-line-based re-use approach to deliver improvement in cost, lead-time and quality and taking advantage of automation wherever possible. There is unique opportunity to demonstrate the tools, processes and technologies by applying them to the UltraFan(r) engine demonstrator.

"WESTUN (Whole Engine STructural UNderstanding) project seeks to validate the novel UltraFan architecture through confirming the whole engine response to structural loads and vibrational excitation measured under dynamic operating conditions. This will be achieved through extracting extremely valuable and unique structural data from a heavily instrumented UltraFan demonstrator vehicle, to validate whole engine structural models and predicted behavioural responses. Successful integration of a large composite fan driven by a geared power transmission and separable gas generator core, introduces extreme structural power transmission interface challenges."

"The LUSH project overcomes the complex challenges associated with integrating the highly novel Advance3 core gas generator (HP Compressor, Combustor and HP Turbine) into the new UltraFan architecture. The project, furthermore, provides cutting edge, innovative technology and gas generator component detailed design to ensure capable, safe and reliable solutions are realised while operating in the longer life, higher temperature environment. The project also provides manufacture of parts and specialist engineering support and analysis during the engine test campaign which in turn will develop key understanding of the UltraFan architecture to be harnessed for the development of future UltraFan platforms."

The change in scope is detailed in the attached more detailed letter. Rolls-Royce would like to accelerate would like to our CastbondTM turbine blade manufacturing capability technology. Parts utilising this technology are being demonstrated in HT3 programme. Approving this change in scope will enable will allow additional exploitation in an earlier product than previously anticipated in the project.

Pressure vessels are considered safety critical infrastructure and are present across many industries such as oil and gas, nuclear, petrochemical etc. Assuring the safety of these ageing assets is increasingly important for these industries as there have been many fatal failures in the past. Internal pressure vessel inspection has significant cost and health and safety risk associated with it and is required at specific intervals by industry codes/standards. In order to carry out internal inspection, the operator must; stop production, depressurise, store extracted fluid, vent etc. The total cost associated with these activities can easily exceed £1M within a few days depending on the production facility. More importantly, these tasks are currently carried out by humans and the hazardous environments have led to many injuries/fatalities. It is not possible for humans to carry out inspection on these assets without breaking containment, the only way to do so, is via robotics and artificial intelligence. CHIMERA is a semi-autonomous robotic platform for internal pressure vessel inspection, repair and maintenance. It will be deployed into the pressure vessel without breaking containment via an innovative bolt on headworks. It will be equipped with a sludge/sediment vacuum to clean the pressure vessel, an ultrasonic phased array inspection system and a slender arm for inspection and repair in confined spaces. To successfully deliver this, a consortium of experts has been formed with capabilities in robotics, inspection, navigation, in situ repair, AI, civil nuclear and oil and gas. There are close ties between the consortium and the targeted industries, providing a direct route to market/exploitation. CHIMERA represents a clear technological innovation for the UK pressure vessel inspection market with a major growth opportunity for the SME supply chain in the consortium.

The project addresses the vision of achieving a 1/3rd reduction in cost per hour of use for complex engineered products across a broad range of UK manufacturing sector output by 2025 (see recently published national strategy on through-life engineering services). The project led by OEM aerospace partners Rolls-Royce plc, BAE Systems and Bombardier Transportation, with a consortium of leading universities, software platform providers and market disseminators will provide accessible Through-life Engineering Services (TES) resources (tools, techniques, databases, best practise use cases and standards) to enable a significant reduction in the operational costs of long life, high value assets such as aero engines, aircraft and rail vehicles.

"The aerospace industry leads the world in embracing technology and efficiency challenges. Targets for environmental improvements are tougher than ever and need to be met in a marketplace where fuel costs are in flux and competition is fierce. Rolls-Royce has responded to this challenge by pioneering a revolutionary new engine architecture called UltraFan that is designed to deliver the power required by the civil aviation industry in the most efficient way possible. The VETO project will show that the fundamental transient operability of the UltraFan Demonstrator engine is achievable and provide a baseline of new knowledge for future developments."

"The aerospace industry leads the world in embracing technology and efficiency challenges. Targets for environmental improvements are tougher than ever and need to be met in a marketplace where fuel costs are in flux and competition is fierce. Rolls-Royce has responded to this challenge by pioneering a revolutionary new engine architecture called UltraFan that is designed to deliver the power required by the civil aviation industry in the most efficient way possible. The VESSPER project is the route to giving confidence to Rolls-Royce's customers that the benefits of an UltraFan architecture to fuel burn improvements are achievable."

"In response to increasing environmental improvement targets and fierce civil aviation marketplace competition, Rolls-Royce has responded by pioneering a revolutionary new UltraFan engine architecture, designed to deliver required power in the most efficient way. ARCB project will de-risk the UltraFan architecture through pioneering the first ever successful build of an UltraFan demonstrator and perform the first self-powered commissioning run to idle. Project cost is £39.1m for which £17.5m of grant funding is being requested. Duration is 32 months, starting August 2018 and completes March 2021\."

"UltraFan Demonstrator is the ""first of family"" future Civil Large Engine products that will see a highly efficient engine architecture deployed across a range of engines for future airframes. The UltraFan engine will be the ultimate turbofan, delivering 24,000 - 100,000lbf. It will be available to the civil aviation market from 2025\. The FANTASTICAL project will deliver larger than ever UltraFan low-speed carbon composite fan blades for both rig test and engine testing. The project will validate predictions secured through research at leading UK universities where methods to evaluate fan blade performance under harsh environmental conditions will be developed."

"In response to increasing environmental improvement targets and fierce civil aviation marketplace competition, Rolls-Royce has responded by pioneering a revolutionary new UltraFan engine architecture, designed to deliver required power in the most efficient way. The ARCT project will de-risk new measurement technology and instrumentation hardware for an UltraFan demonstrator and confirm the demonstrator as a viable experimental asset for ground based testing in the UK and established a baseline for future applications. Project cost is £26.3m for which £13.1m of grant funding is being requested. The project duration is 33 months, starting in August 2018 and completes April 2021\. ."

To enable the transition from a set of expensive and dated proprietary UML-based modelling tools to a standardised, scalable and open-source collaborative model-based engineering infrastructure.

Materials And Lifing Improvements in Turbines (MALIT) Building on the success of the Trent family of three shaft engines Rolls-Royce have announced their intent to develop UltraFan®, a novel Ultra High Bypass Ratio (UHBR) geared architecture. This provides a significant improvement in propulsive efficiency and will be available for the next generation of aircraft 2025 and beyond. A fundamental enabler for this new architecture is the development of lower cost technologies for the middle of the market engine that will enhance the competitive position of future Rolls-Royce Civil Large Engine (CLE) products through the introduction of robust lifing methodologies and lower cost single crystal alloys which offer a significant reduction in unit cost, increased cyclic life and are an enabler for Specific Fuel Consumption (SFC) improvements. Rolls-Royce will work in partnership with Cranfield University and Imperial College London and utilise the UK manufacturing services supply chain to achieve this overall aim.

"Electric and hybrid-electric propulsion is being hailed as the next generation of flight, with double digit percentage Specific Fuel Consumption (SFC) reductions anticipated. There are currently many different hybrid-electric and all-electric aircraft concepts being proposed by a whole host of companies, ranging from traditional airliners, airframers and propulsion companies, to non-aerospace suppliers and start-ups. As an aerospace propulsion provider, it is critical for Rolls-Royce to develop technologies and capabilities to remain relevant and competitive if an airframer does make the jump to an all-electric or hybrid-electric propulsion platform. Rolls-Royce is not sold on one single future aircraft architecture and therefore needs to develop technology and capability that can be applied to a wide range of future concepts. These technologies and capabilities include: * Megawatt class power generation systems * Megawatt class electric propulsor units * Thrust control for electric propulsors * Novel aircraft integration experience * An understanding of airworthiness requirements for such propulsion systems In order to rapidly develop and find solutions to challenges associated with the technologies listed above, Rolls-Royce needs to fly these components. Testing on the ground will not suffice to reduce the risks associated with a megawatt class hybrid-electric propulsion system. Airbus' E-Fan X demonstrator gives Rolls-Royce a route to fly these technologies on a safe platform."

ACCEL: Accelerating the Electrification of Flight Rolls-Royce and its partners are developing technology that will enable the aviation industry to adopt electrical propulsion solutions ensuring that the industry can continue to grow and prosper whilst minimising its environmental impact. Through the ACCEL project a Rolls-Royce led consortium will design, build and flight test a high performance electric powertrain providing a unique and detailed understanding of the potential for electric flight and providing the UK with an independent and indigenous route to electric propulsion system and component understanding

"TIG welding is a commonly used joining technique for fabricating metal structures across a range of industries. However, it currently has a number of limitations, principally (i) it's heavily reliant on highly-skilled manual welding experts (which are expensive and in very short supply) and (ii) it lacks flexibility to automate the welding of complex geometries. Adaptive AUTOmated TIG welding (AutoTIG) aims to develop an adaptive and automated closed loop controlled TIG welding system. The project will take state-of-the-art knowledge in welding and adaptive control, and combine this with a process head with a range integrated sensors. Sensors will be used to establish welding paths and vision systems will collect and analyse images of the weldpool for real time adaptive control. Combining sensor data and process knowledge is an innovative approach which we believe will provide a solution to overcome the barriers to robotic TIG welding This will enable a demonstration system to address, monitor and control: the full welding process leading to a high-productivity and low-defect rate TIG welding process."

PACE is an Ultra-Fan® enabling rig project provides necessary advanced X-Ray capability and tooling to validate the next generation of geared architecture engines. A key number of Rolls-Royce subcontractors including the Hyde Group (Pylon) will deliver a number of key capabilities including X-Ray and image analysis and tooling for engine assembly in excess of £17m supporting this important validation project.

Building on the success of the Trent family of three shaft engines Rolls-Royce have announced their intent to develop UltraFan®, a novel Ultra High Bypass Ratio (UHBR) geared architecture. This provides a significant improvement in propulsive efficiency and will be available for the next generation of aircraft 2025 and beyond. A fundamental enabler for this new architecture is the development of SiC-SiC based Ceramic Matrix Composite (CMC) technology that will enhance the competitive position of future Rolls-Royce Civil Large Engine (CLE) products through the introduction of CMC turbine components which offer a significant benefit of Specific Fuel Consumption (SFC) improvement, along with weight reduction, increased cyclic life and reduced component manufacturing lead times. Rolls-Royce will work in partnership with the National Composites Centre, the University of Oxford and the University of Swansea and utilise the UK manufacturing services supply chain to achieve this overall aim.

Rolls-Royce is developing a new high temperature nickel alloy to be used in future engines targeted at narrow body and wide body aircraft. These novel engine designs will ensure that Rolls-Royce maintains its long term competitiveness in the future. One of the key aspects of the new engine architectures being studied is development of an engine core that is required to operate at higher speeds and temperatures to achieve the efficiency required, while still delivering an acceptable service life. Joining of these new materials is an important aspect to maximise flexibility in exploitation. Hence the requirement of this project is to accelerate development of joining technologies to enable some of the most capable aerospace superalloys to be utilised in engine designs.

"This project will develop competitive design capability for ice crystal icing in new and novel engine architectures as well as improved ice detection and anti-ice systems. The improved understanding of icing mechanics in combination with an integrated icing protection system and better characterisation of the icing will ensure that the UK remains competitive on future gas engine architectures such as the UltraFan; an important step in continuing to meet environmental targets. The work packages will be developed by Rolls-Royce working in partnership with the University of Oxford as well as GKN aerospace and SATAVIA Ltd, in addition to utilising the UK manufacturing services supply chain."

"The Automotive Technology Transfer of Energy Storage Thermal Strategies (ATTESTS) project is bringing together industry and academic experts to assess the feasibility of developing competitive high C rate battery modules through advanced thermal management, extending battery lifetime and power density. Imperial College London's in-depth understanding of the varied degradation mechanisms that shorten the life of battery cells has enabled them to pioneer novel cooling strategies. These cooling solutions can be implemented at modular level and the principles have been demonstrated through laboratory testing (TRL3). One of the key features takes into account the layered structure of lithium ion batteries and uses a homogenous cooling strategy that reduces degradation in hotter layers. Rolls-Royce (R-R) has been working with Imperial to investigate the benefit of Imperial's solution for high C marine applications. R-R supplies the complete marine electrical propulsion system including the battery package. APC targets for automotive also highlight high C as an important requirement for Automotive EV drive cycles. R-R and Imperial are submitting this proposal to attest the feasibility of Imperial's solutions for high C applications and to assess the suitability for automotive applications. The project proposes to support this assessment through a specific 12-month testing programme. This programme will test commercially available automotive battery cells that are specifically targeted at high C automotive and marine applications with and without Imperial's thermal management solutions (TRL 4). R-R and Imperial have worked in collaboration before and their unique blend of skills across battery cell, module, packaging and application know-how will enable a robust feasibility into more effective and reliable battery systems supporting both marine and automotive applications. To support the future exploitation plan the work will be disseminated and further supported by visits to the UK automotive industry."

"Imagine if an engineer could inspect and repair a pipe deep within a nuclear reactor without having to get changed into a HAZMAT suit, or even perform an inspection and then repair a jet engine still attached to the wing of an aircraft, but from the comfort of their own home. COBRA (Continuum Robot for Remote Applications) aims to do just that. A consortium of industrial companies and academic institutions aims to design, develop and build a novel solution for remotely controlled specialist robots that will enable maintenance & repair tasks to be undertaken in extreme environments by teleoperation without compromising the health and safety of the operators. COBRA will reduce lifecycle costs, provide rapid worldwide operational response to issues, and improve the safety and quality of high value installed infrastructures. The continuum robot (a.k.a. snake robot), will be long enough to be deployed in a range of pipe based nuclear fission and fusion scenarios, as well as small enough in diameter to be applicable to jet engine deployment through conventional inspection ports. The main objectives of COBRA include production of a full scale teleoperated prototype, inclusive of the control software, a range of shape sensors and two separate, interchangeable and innovative 'end effectors'. Firstly, a 3D camera to provide high resolution views of the environment and feed into an immersive interface with augmented reality elements. Secondly, a miniature laser processing head to allow robotic corrective action to take place. A miniature laser head has been developed by OpTek Systems Ltd for a specific application in Rolls-Royce Aerospace, but COBRA will develop the miniature laser control head to work in challenging new environments opening new markets for OpTek to exploit. The development of the super-slender continuum robot will fall chiefly to the University of Nottingham (UNOTT) who have extensive experience of developing and manufacturing prototype equipment of such nature, some of which have been demonstrated and used in service in the aerospace sector. Rolls-Royce and RACE will provide a number of demonstration scenarios to effectively prove the prototype device to TRL 6\. The consortium have plans to set up a UK supply chain toward the end of the project to provide productionisation of the concept and allow end users, such as Rolls-Royce, UKAEA and Sellafield, to utilise such a product."

"An Ultra High Bypass Ratio (UHBR) geared architecture needs to be developed to support Rolls-Royce's next generation of product offerings to be competitive in the large civil gas turbine market. Underpinning this objective is the requirement to develop the Externals sub-system element of the UltraFan® programme. The EXCITE project is intended to address the design challenges inherrent for the Externals Sub-System that are associated with the change to UltraFan® engine architecture. This will enable realisation of the Externals Sub-System and component definitions for the UltraFan® demonstrator programme delivering a TRL6 level for the product and therefore demonstrating the enabling sub-system technology to support the envisaged UltraFan® product entry into service in 2025. "

With the civil aviation sector continuing to grow year-on-year, an ever increasing number of routine in-situ gas turbine inspections are undertaken by both gas turbine providers and their customers. Whilst these are critical for ensuring a high-level of aeroengine safety, they are time intensive, vary between inspectors, and offer limited data capture and assessment possibilities. Through the INSPECT consortium, an optical inspection system will be developed that can be permanently and retrofittably embedded into the gas turbine borescope ports. Upon engine shutdown, probes are automatically inserted into the engine gas path, providing an fast, frequent, and standardised compressor inspection after every operation. INSPECT is a state-of-the-art inspection technology, enabling future Big Data Analytics, data mining, and trending. This will ultimately make Rolls-Royce and its customers data rich and able to optimise flight paths, maintenance schedules, and possibly even OEM design.

ENCASE develops a number of key enabling technologies required for the control system in the novel UltraFan® engine demonstrator. These include electronic core concentrator control systems architecture, sealing & sensor technology, a “super” permanent magnet alternator and architectural safety critical software. The consortium is led by Rolls-Royce with large industrial partners Curtiss Wright, TT Electronics, SMEs Porvair Filtration Group Limited, Ionix Advanced Technologies Limited, Active Sensors Limited and academics at the University of Newcastle and the University of York. A key benefit of ENCASE will be in delivering scalable solutions for both business jet and civil engines.

The SMPP project (Scaleable, Multi-Platform Power) will establish More-Electric Aircraft electrical systems requirements for a range of aircraft types and will develop systems and sub-systems that will work well together to address power generation, power distribution / conversion and flight critical power consumption. During this work, the consortium will encourage airframers to contribute to and to evaluate the work performed by the consortium. The outputs will be a range of systems and equipment technologies developed through to TRL 6 such that future opportunities for validation on aircraft can be supported.

This project, led by Rolls-Royce, will develop the detailed design of a UHBR aero gas turbine engine demonstrator, aimed at verifying advanced technologies for the next generation of large civil engines at a whole system level. In establishing the detailed design, the project will prove the feasibility of the demonstrator and reduce the risks associated with the demonstrator to a low enough level to allow the full launch of manufacture of the demonstrator vehicle.

POSTIE will develop a weight-optimised structural solution for the Rolls-Royce UltraFanTMgeared aero engine and additionally investigate the potential added benefits of topology optimisation.POSTIE is led by Rolls-Royce plc. in partnership with Altair, and will strengthen the UK Fast Make supply chain. The project duration is three years andis due to be completed at the end of Q2 2020.

To enable software of different standards which shares a processor to execute in a more flexible manner.

COAST looks at maturing the readiness level of a range of engine technologies including advanced seals for gas turbines application, cabin blower and modelling of oil flows and heat transfer in gas turbines bearing chambers through architecture concept studies, rig testing, modelling work and development of designs suitable for engine demonstrator testing. COAST is led by Rolls-Royce plc. in collaboration with Bladon Jet Ltd and the Universities of Nottingham, Oxford and Sheffield. The project duration isthree years and is due to be completed by Q4 2019.

Next generation civil aircraft will require a step change in the flight deck capability to deliver new operational scenarios coupled with requirements for greater system and technology transparency. Airline operators are demanding reduced acquisition cost, including certification and reduced cost of change, as well as an upgrade path to the introduction of new more efficient technologies with minimised re-certification costs. Flight crew remain central to the aircraft operations and the optimisation of their workload is a critical need. Flight deck technology will need to co-opt the latest developments in computing platform, Human-Machine Interface (HMI), crew aids and pilot interaction technologies to deliver these requirements in a cost-competitive manner. The Open Flight Deck (OFD) project partners: GE Aviation, BAE SYSTEMS, Rolls Royce, Coventry University and the University of Southampton, will address these needs by developing an open, accessible and standardised avionic platform for the flight deck which supports the introduction of new technologies, software applications and peripheral devices. Within the open flight deck framework the project will also develop new crew aids to both optimise flight crew work load and improve situational awareness to extend safe aircraft operations, as well as integrate new and existing applications to; add functionality, simplify the flight deck, reduce error potential and harness big data opportunities.

The continuous drive of the airline industry to achieve ever more stringent fuel burn, noise, emissions and lifecycle cost requires a step change in combustion system design. To address this, Rolls-Royce is investing heavily into lean burn combustion technology. The ELECT programme aims to improve lean burn system design rules and fundamental understanding. This will enable significant simplifications to the current fuel system for civil large engine application circa 2020. Additionally this programme aims to further improve the lean burn system architecture, by incorporating the latest technologies within the control and combustion communities, to provide a more robust system with reduced complexity for civil medium and large engine applications circa 2025.

Intermediate Pressure Compressor Realisation for Enhanced Sub-System (IPCRESS) This project will develop competitive capability for gas turbine compressors. The development of an intermediate pressure compressor that integrates around a power gearbox will enable Rolls-Royce to demonstrate its new UltraFan™ engine architecture which represents an important step in continuing to meet environmental targets and will result in more competitive future engines. The work packages will be developed by Rolls-Royce working in partnership with the University of Oxford and the University of Cambridge in addition to utilising the UK manufacturing services supply chain.

Design of Engineered Lightweight Innovative Casings for Engines (DELICE) Building on the success of the Trent family of three shaft engines Rolls-Royce has announced its intent to develop UltraFan™, a novel Ultra High Bypass Ratio (UHBR) geared architecture. This provides a significant improvement in propulsive efficiency and will be available for the next generation of aircraft 2025 and beyond. A fundamental enabler for this new architecture is the development of a large diameter, low speed, low pressure ratio fan system. This project will result in the design and manufacture of the world’s largest composite fan case in support of the UltraFan™ demonstrator programme. Rolls-Royce will work in partnership with the National Composites Centre the University of Oxford and utilise the UK manufacturing services supply chain to achieve this overall aim.

The Power-Plant Integration with Platform Systems (PIPS) program will develop technologies in the UK to enable greater integration between the Power-plant and Airframe, resulting in a more capable and efficient aircraft. This programme shall develop facilities and skills in the UK to maintain and grow our integration capability, ensuring we are world class in developing integrated aerospace systems. This programme shall specifically address Structural, Thermal/ Fluid and Control System integration and the associated Aircraft Evaluation tools to quantify the benefits realised through greater integration. This will result in a lighter, more fuel efficient and environmentally friendly engine and aircraft of the future.

Capitalising Heuristic Advanced Sub-system Maturation (CHASM) This project will deliver the design and manufacture of components including fan disc, fan OGV, ESS and Oil Tank to integrate into a UHBR engine. Each component presents its own unique design and manufacturing challenges that will need to be overcome in order to The work packages will be developed by Rolls-Royce working in partnership with the National Composites Centre and Advanced Manufacturing Research Centre and utilising the UK manufacturing services supply chain.

The forecasted doubling of aircaraft in service over the next 20 years has led to long term challenging environmental emissions goals being set for the aviation industry. Combining this with airline operators’ requirements for reduced operating costs generates the need for a step change in fuel burn and hence CO2 emissions. This can be achieved by moving to engines with lower specific thrust that utilise larger diameter fans. The weight of these fans must be minimised to avoid losing the fuel burn advantage. The purpose of this projec t is to complete the development of carbon fibre composite materials for use in a lightweight fan system for high bypass ratio direct drive turbofans for the wide-body civil aircraft market. It will focus on modelling the propagation of damage, the effect on material properties of inclusions of manufacturing features and defects, general damage tolerance and environmental effects of moisture and temperature variation. Work will also attempt to optimise the key components to maximise the weight reduction potential. The project includes the manufacture and testing of sub-elements and components to validate the resulting methods and principles.

Future civil aerospace technology advancement and improvement is going to be increasingly based on the use of real-time aircraft and engine data to predict performance, adapt control and manage maintenance. E2EEHM (End-to-End Equipment Health Management) is a four year project that will develop and link together future Equipment Health Management (EHM) technologies to create future value for products and services. Capability will be created in the areas of advanced sensing, communications, data mining and analytics. As they are developed, these technologies will be joined together in end-to-end demonstrations to illustrate their use in aerospace operations to reduce: 1) Operational disruption 2); Maintenance cost and 3) Design conservatism. Specific applications of particular importance for this project are: revolutionising LRU (Line Replaceable Unit) monitoring, which is currently unavailable, and support to the embodiment of more Electrical Machines in aerospace.

The next generation of Large Civil turbofans will feature higher bypass ratios and LeanBurn Combustion technology to improve propulsive efficiency and hence reduce fuel-burn, CO2 and NOx emissions. They are likely to be driven by a geared LP system, as per the Rolls-Royce UltraFan™ engine concept. Key enablers for this overall engine concept are hotter, smaller and durable core turbine technologies. DualWallTurb will address this requirement by developing novel design and manufacturing technologies for high temperature materials towards advanced levels of technology readiness (MCRL4/TRL4), thereby enabling a step change in cooling flow reductions in the High Pressure Turbine (HPT). The project will achieve this by bringing together existing and further advancing UK based know how on manufacturing, advanced design knowledge as well as the UK based research infrastructure whilst focusing on the fastest possible technology delivery in support of upcoming engine programmes. As a result a strategic key design and manufacturing capability will be developed in the UK and secured for future exploitation in the UK.

The ANTELOPE project aims to investigate key technologies within a civil nacelle for Long range aircraft designed to reduce the impact of moving to future engine architectures, such as Ultra High Bypass Ratio engines. Through this project, the consortium will examine technologies aiming to reduce Fuel burn from an Integrated Powerplant System through examining topics impacting weight and drag. The project also aims to develop technologies to increase the functionality of the nacelle such that it may support the engine in producing a better optimised solution, leading to improved propulsion efficiency from the Powerplant.

Forecasts indicate the need for over 30,000 new commercial aircraft by 2034. Securing market success depends on delivering products that meet customer demands and ensuring the long term viability of those engaged in developing and producing them. Innovative product architectures and novel technologies will be needed to achieve the demanding performance targets. The design environment used to develop and evaluate such products will also require transformation to meet the crucial development time and cost reduction ambitions. APROCONE, is a key step towards delivering the next generation aviation products and associated advanced design environment. It will deliver capabilities needed to transform the conceptual definition and evaluation of complex products thus providing the foundation on which to achieve significant improvements in development cost and product performance. The consortium of software specialists, industrial end users/suppliers and academic experts, will collaborate to investigate innovative aircraft wings & turbofan engines concepts, whilst developing and demonstrating the capability of the enhanced Design Environment.

Building on the success of the Trent family of three shaft engines Rolls-Royce has announced its intent to develop UltraFan™, a novel Very High Bypass Ratio (VHBR) geared architecture. This provides a significant improvement in propulsive efficiency and will be available for the next generation of aircraft 2025 and beyond. ACAPELLA will provide Rolls-Royce with aero acoustic prediction capabilities for use in multi-disciplinary optimisation design techniques. The target is to achieve a -5dB reduction cumulatively relative to the Trent XWB and Trent 1000 engines which is a very significant step towards the interim 2035 goal on the way to the ARARE 2050 target. Through increased collaboration between UK aircraft noise research teams at the Universities of Southampton, Cambridge, Loughborough and Imperial College, this project will provide a step change in aero acoustic modelling capability within the aircraft installed environment validated by high fidelity measured data.

SECT-AIR’s aims are to develop strategies for the UK high integrity software industry to significantly lower development costs and to scope a UK aerospace software centre-of excellence to maintain these strategies in the future. SECT-AIR plans to define processes and technologies that will make a step change reduction to software development costs; gain adoption of these through certification authorities and wider industry engagement and to ensure a better flow of technology between academia and industry in these areas in the future.

This project will develop competitive product capability and high manufacturing productivity for Composite Structures. The development of composite moulding and composite curing processes will enable cost and weight reduction on static composite components for future engines. The work packages will be developed by Rolls-Royce working in partnership with the National Composites Centre and utilising the UK manufacturing services supply chain

This project will develop technologies that will allow rapid manufacture of components for future development rig and engine tests. This project will address the development of a range of manufacturing technologies that currently have long production lead times. The work packages will be developed by Rolls-Royce working in partnership with the Manufacturing Technology Centre the Advanced Manufacturing Research Centre and the University of Birmingham and using a UK supply chain.

This project will develop competitive capabilities to manufacture complex, high-functionality components by advanced joining and fabrication methods. Replacement of outdated welding processes and a systems engineering based approach to structures fabrication will deliver step-change improvements in component and assembly cost, quality and supply chain productivity. The technologies developed will enable cost and weight reduction on current and future engines. The work packages will be developed by Rolls-Royce working in partnership with the Manufacturing Technology Centre, the Advanced Manufacturing Research Centre and using the UK manufacturing services supply chain.

Geometry is at the heart of all aerodynamic and mechanical design processes and tools. The creation, manipulation and discretisation of geometry has become the bottle neck in design-simulation iteration time and therefore is a limiting factor in our ability to reduce time to market. Increasing competitive, environmental and commercial pressures are demanding ever higher performing products which in turn need more design iterations and simulation which means that the importance of geometry and its integration with the design process and simulation is increasing. GEMinIDS will deliver geometry handling and meshing technology that builds upon the GHandI (Geometry Handling and Integration) project whilst also extending its scope to Integrated Design Systems. GEMinIDS brings together the technology and consortium established in GHandI, with leading SMEs and academics in the field, to produce a project with a scale, breadth and level of synergy that will enable a step change in UK competitiveness in this important enabling technology.

Hexavalent chromates set the benchmark for corrosion protection for a number of industries and they are essential for the safety of current Aerospace products. However, EU REACH legislation has tightly restricted the sale and use of these chemical substances which creates a business continuity threat to the UK and EEA supply chains. One key technology is chromate conversion coatings (CCC) that are essential for the protection of aluminium components. While there are a number of proposed alternatives on the market, previous work has identified these to be unsuitable. A consortium has been brought together in order to develop and industrialise CCC alternatives to ensure that they meet stringent requirements set by the Aerospace industry. The lifetimes of these hex-chrome technologies will be measured using advanced methodology so that they can be safely introduced into Aerospace products. Furthermore, the new technologies will be available for the entire UK supply chain to use, including for other industries such as medical, automotive, oil and gas.

Development of advanced repair technologies is a key business enabler for the aero engine market. Rolls- Royce, a world-leading provider of power systems and services for use on land, at sea and in the air, generates more than half of its revenues from aftermarket services supported by novel repair technologies. Turbine components have been identified as the single biggest cost driver at engine overhaul; this project is directed at reducing the cost and environmental impact of turbine component repair via the development of cutting edge non-destructive sulphidation inspection techniques and nozzle guide vane repair technology in a multi-party consortium.

Future Engineering System brings together SME CFMS, aerospace prime Rolls Royce, leading global engineering and technology services company Siemens, systems integrator Sysemia and digital quality specialist eQ-Technologic with academic specialists from the Sheffield Advanced Computing Research Centre and Leeds University Socio-Technical Centre. The consortium will develop and demonstrate a prototype Future Engineering System (FES) infrastructure to fully integrate engineering data sources within the process lifecycle management (PLM) tool chain. Within the FES, we will demonstrate the integration of raw data from CFD and FEA analyses via JT Open to Siemens PLM, with uncertainty quantification and management (UQ&M) functions and automated agent-based quality control. This will be exercised against real industrial use cases from Rolls Royce and demonstrated within a prototype system at CFMS. Dissemination to the wider community – including the aerospace, civil, automotive and renewable energy sectors – will be via a programme of open events.

This project will develop high product efficiency and high productivity turbine manufacturing methods. It will include machining, coating, modelling and inspection technology development. The work packages will be developed by Rolls-Royce working in partnership with the Manufacturing Technology Centre, the Advanced Manufacturing Research Centre, the University of Birmingham and using the UK manufacturing services supply chain.

This project aims to strengthen the competitiveness of UK high value manufacturers by delivering and demonstrating breakthrough composite manufacturing technologies. The workpackages will be developed by Rolls-Royce working in partnership with the National Composites Centre (NCC) and utilising the UK manufacturing supply chain.

This project will accelerate the development of technologies that enable the manufacture of aerospace components made from advanced materials. The early focus on these technologies will ensure high productivity processes are established at an appropriate pace to allow competitive industrialisation for future engine products. The work packages will be developed by Rolls-Royce working in partnership with the HVM CATAPULT Centres, the Advanced Forming Research Centre and the Advanced Machining Research Centre.

Pressure Ratio Optimised Fan Integral to Low speed Engines (PROFILE) Building on the success of the Trent family of three shaft engines Rolls-Royce has announced its intent to develop UltraFan™, a novel Very High Bypass Ratio (VHBR) geared architecture. This provides a significant improvement in propulsive efficiency and will be available for the next generation of aircraft 2025 and beyond. A fundamental enabler for this new architecture is the development of a large diameter, low speed, low pressure ratio fan system. This represents a step change in fan technology and entails significant technical challenges including structural integration of the fan system into a geared architecture and mechanical integrity of the blades during impact scenarios. PROFILE is a project to investigate and mitigate these challenges through a blade mechanical rig programme, academic research, and a comprehensive fan system design study.

Gas turbine technology is developing rapidly in the drive to reduce fuel burn and the environmental impact of air travel. To maintain the UK’s position as the producer of world leading aircraft propulsion systems requires continual research and development of new and novel engines. This project is a collection of related aerothermal technology developments focused around the core of a civil gas turbine engine with the common theme of reducing overall engine fuel burn. These developments target either new technology that impacts fuel burn directly or via developing a fundamental understanding of the physics of those technologies for exploitation in future designs.

The next generation of civil turbofans will feature higher bypass ratios, to improve propulsive efficiency and hence reduce fuel-burn and CO2 emissions. They are likely to be driven by a geared LP system, as per the Rolls-Royce UltraFan™ engine concept, which is expected to be 10% more efficient than the current state of the art. However, as fan diameter is increased, so is the weight and drag associated with a conventional engine installation, and this offsets much of the efficiency benefit offered by the higher bypass ratio. iFan will address this problem by developing and validating the aerodynamic capabilities needed to design a novel integrated fan-intake system. This will enable shorter intakes and slimline nacelles to be used (with lower weight and drag), whilst managing the effect on fan efficiency and operability. The project will achieve this by developing a range of aerodynamic & aeromechanical prediction methods, from low fidelity through to extremely high fidelity CFD calculations. These will enable predictions to be made of the efficiency and stability of an installed fan system, as well as the aeromechanical integrity (flutter etc.).

This project will develop technologies for the manufacture of gas turbine discs, blisks and rotating assemblies. Innovative modelling, manufacturing process optimisation and efficient validation regimes will be developed to significantly enhance current and future engine designs. The work packages will be developed by Rolls-Royce working in partnership with the Manufacturing Technology Centre, the Advanced Manufacturing Research Centre and the University of Birmingham and utilising the UK manufacturing services supply chain.

Rolls-Royce is developing a new high temperature nickel alloy to be used in future engines targeted at narrowbody and widebody aircraft. These novel engine designs will ensure that Rolls-Royce maintains its long term competitiveness in the future. One of the key aspects of the new engine architectures being studied is the development of an engine core that is required to operate at higher speeds and temperatures to achieve the efficiency required, while still delivering an acceptable service life. This new alloy will offer a step up in temperature capability over existing alloys. Alongside the development of the alloy, suitable coatings are being developed to further enhance component capabilities.

The BAM project researches the use of 3D woven composite material for application to aircraft structures and potentially for use in other sectors in particular the automotive sector. The expected benefits include lower weight structures and reduced manufacturing and assembly costs. The project also considers the design requirements and potential blockers in developing the technology. Suitable candidate structures will be investigated and the associated FE and other predictive software will be developed, delivering an engineering tool set. Manufacturing processes will be assessed and used to manufacture various elements of a typical test pyramid to compare the predictions with the actual performance and to begin thinking about the quality control aspects leading to the route to certification. The overall objectives of the project are to develop the complete process from design to the manufacture of 3D woven composite fabric components thereby enhancing the UK supply chain in the technologies required to deliver more innovative composite structures.

Rolls-Royce is developing a new high temperature nickel alloy to be used in future engines targeted at narrowbody and widebody aircraft. These novel engine designs will ensure that Rolls-Royce maintains its long term competitiveness in the future. One of the key aspects of the new engine architectures being studied is the development of an engine core that is required to operate at higher speeds and temperatures to achieve the efficiency required, while still delivering an acceptable service life. This new alloy will offer a step up in temperature capability over existing alloys. Alongside the development of the alloy, suitable coatings are being developed to further enhance component capabilities.

Within the aerospace sector, aftermarket services account for over 50% of revenue generated by aero engine manufacturers (Rolls-Royce Annual Report, dated February 2015). Central to this is the ability to repair high value manufactured components. The use of additive technologies is increasingly being developed and exploited on new part manufacture, but this programme will lead to the development of additive technology for repair of components. The intent of this project is to remove damage from high value components and then use additive technologies to restore component geometry and material performance. Material development will be required to ensure the integrity of the repairs and novel joining techniques will be explored as part of this project. A project consortium comprising of members from the UK such as University of Sheffield, 3T RPD, Stork Technical Services (subcon), SMaRT (sub con) and Birmingham University (subcon) who have unique areas of expertise has been assembled to address this issue over a period of 3 years, at a cost of £3.57M.

Rolls-Royce is considering expanding its marine product portfolio and is interested in exploring a highly efficient electric Magnetically Geared Propulsion Motor (MGPM) which has been developed by Magnomatics. This motor may offer significant benefits for marine propulsion by increasing the electrical efficiency by up to 7% compared to existing state of the art electrical machines. Rolls-Royce will team with Magnomatics and ATB Laurence Scott to design, manufacture and test a 2.5MW novel propulsion motor. It is estimated that the use of this machine within a vessel propulsion system could increase the total vessel efficiency by up to 10% and deliver a very low maintenance and robust propulsion system, suitable for a range of new build vessels and retrofits. The aggregated efficiency benefits and low operational maintenance advantages would allow more flexible propulsion systems to be used on many types of vessels leading to an improvement in average fleet efficiency and therefore emission reduction. The project will also demonstrate that this type of motor is suitable for both naval and commercial applications.

FLARE is a project utilising continuum robot capability developed by the University of Nottingham, and incorporating miniaturised flame spray equipment from Metallisation. There is significant market desire to create a device that can perform in-situ / on-wing patch repair of flame sprayed coatings without dismantling high value infrastructure e.g. aircraft jet engines. It is costly and time consuming for maintenance and overhaul activities to be completed whilst the engine is removed, it is more attractive to Rolls-Royce, airline customers and the technology supply chain to be able to perform more services with the engine still intact and attached to the aircraft.

Compliance with current and future regulations is instrumental to the wide-scale exploitation of Unmanned Surface Vessels (USVs) at sea. Satisfactory autonomous operation in accordance with the International Regulations for Preventing Collisions at Sea 1972 (Colregs) is furthermore pivotal to maritime safety. Machine execution of the Colregs has been investigated in limited circumstances and this project aims to develop a more comprehensive capability and demonstrate satisfactory execution in real-world representative sea trials. With academic support, the industrial participants aim to: demonstrate autonomous control of a USV for Mine Counter Measure (MCM) operations, and develop broader USV applications along with navigational support for larger conventional vessels. A key innovation will be the use of networked bridge simulators as a safe yet effective test environment in the first instance. These highly immersive simulators, ordinarily used for mariner training, will be used to rapidly iterate development in light of human reaction from the crew of a virtual vessel encountering a synthetic autonomous vessel and real-world difficulties such as degraded sensor picture.

HPC has given many companies the ability to perform more complex fluid simulation on large clusters of CPU or GPU based nodes. These simulations consume large amounts of power, but are required for engineering more efficient products. This project will explore the use of the innovative Dataflow Computing paradigm, pioneered by Maxeler Technologies with their Dataflow Engines, to significantly increase the performance of CFD simulation, while improving on the energy efficiency of the whole simulation process. The main objective is therefore to map an engineering CFD code onto Maxeler's Dataflow Engines and demonstrate through the running of typical turbomachinery testcases the improvements in energy consumption of the simulation while affording a step-change in computational performance. The innovative aspects of the project are (1) the use of Dataflow computing programming paradigm for CFD; (2) the deployment of Dataflow Engines in an industrial strength engineering simulation application.

The objective of this collaborative industrial development project is to deliver a design solution and prototype hardware to demonstrate the application of electric turbo-compounding on marine diesel and gas engines to TRL 6. The core technology has already proven effective and reliable in land-based stationary powergen applications using similar base engines, however this project addresses two innovative development directions; the transfer of the technology into the maritime environment with all the challenges and additional regulatory requirements that entails, and also the scaling up of the technology to the engine power range more prolific in this sector, 2-4MW per engine. The track record for this technology in land-based applications is strong with fuel savings of 6-8% compared with the base engine performance being typical. The reduction in fuel utilised for a given voyage is accompanied by an attendant reduction in harmful emmissions - with strong adoption of this technology, it is predicted that millions of tonnes of CO2 emissions could be prevented.

A novel, sequential, net-shape process will be developed to enable complex, light-weight components to be created with minimum waste capable of supporting a wide range of production volumes. Metal powders are encapsulated in a complex-geometry reusable rubber tool and isostatically pressed. The resulting compacts are fully densified using a novel hot isostatic pressing (HIP) method that enables the densification of multiple green compacts into full density. Key innovations include novel tooling method to produce partially consolidated complex compacts and novel processing route to simultaneously consolidate multiple components to full density.

The ENHANCED project builds on the previous work by ETL and UIoS and will undertake an industrial research into the development and demonstration of a world-leading energy harvesting and wireless autonomous sensor platform technology for marine and automotive applications. The ENHANCED system will utilise novel electronics based on standard components and system design to achieve data processing and wireless data transmission, sensor monitoring and control and power management. ENHANCED will be powered using thermo-electric generators thermally driven by the vehicle or vessels waste exhaust heat. ENHANCED will be based on (and will meet the requirements of) the IEEE standard for wireless harvesters and will be interchangeable with a variety of sensors for the measurement of a variety critical control parameters. We will specifically develop energy harvesting devices that can supply sufficient power for autonomous electronics including sensors and sensor networks and demonstrate this widely to show generally applicable and robust systems.

To launch a globally competitive engine product that will meet the demands of the future commercial narrow-body and wide-body civil aircraft it will be necessary to deliver a significant increase in efficiency compared to current state of the art engines. A range of component, system and engine level tests and demonstrators will be required to support technology development and validation in representative test environments ahead of new customer product launches. A central requirement to achieve this objective will be to develop a highly responsive UK fast make manufacturing capability to support the anticipated demand for research and experimental components. A project is planned to be launched which will develop fats make business process, identify target components which are novel and representative of future engine demonstrator requirements, select UK manufacturing sources and launch manufacturing plans to produce parts and develop capabilities. The proven manufacturing capabilities and suppliers will be well positioned to benefit from future research and experimental programmes which need reliable access to a responsive fast make supply chain

The combination of high fuel prices and more stringent emissions legislation (particularly IMO Tier III) has led to an increasing interest in waste heat recovery technologies across the marine sector. Gas turbines reject a large quantity of heat to the atmosphere compared with their reciprocating counterparts. Recovery of this heat using a bottoming cycle with supercritical CO2 as the working fluid has the potential to achieve a combined cycle efficiency approaching 55% - a step-change in efficiency over a simple cycle and an opportunity to overcome poor efficiency at part-load. Electrical power is expected to be the most desirable output of the heat recovery system, although mechanical power is also possible. Significant advantages in compactness are achievable over alternative waste heat recovery technologies.

Rolls-Royce has built a technology leading position with its family of Trent engines; resulting in the development of the Trent XWB, the world’s most efficient engine. Building upon the company’s heritage of three shaft engines Rolls-Royce has announced its intent to develop a novel geared engine that will ensure that it maintains its competitiveness into the mid-2020s and beyond. A key feature of this new engine architecture will be the development of a very high power gearbox that can translate power from a high rotational speed Intermediate Pressure Turbine (IPT) to a low speed high propulsive efficiency fan. The gearbox will be required to operate at very high speeds and loads, while still delivering an acceptable service life. To achieve the performance required in this demanding environment will require research into the development of new materials, coatings and oils, and the optimisation of high precision manufacturing processes.

Previous projects such as FP6 More Open Electrical Technologies or the Clean Sky Joint Technology Initiative have shown that the More Electrical Aircraft still has to tackle significant challenges in order to deliver the reduced environmental impact expected from the next generation single-aisle aircraft. To succeed, it is mandatory to better manage the interface between the More Electric Engine, the More Electric Aircraft and the More Electric System Architecture and leverage the benefits of having systems sharing electricity as the common energy carrier. The objective of this project is to identify key propulsion, power generation, distribution and management technologies which will enable the More Electrical Aircraft to demonstrate significant fuel burn improvement. To achieve this, the project will model and evaluate an integrated propulsion and electrical power architecture, from engine to electrical loads, with the aim to quantify benefits and identify and develop system level enablers required to secure aircraft level fuel burn reduction The project brings together the suppliers of all the elements of the architecture, engine, generation, distribution, and electrical loads, together with the airframe integrator who will provide top-level requirements.

This project aims to ensure UK capability on Lean Burn FSN to ensure the emissions performance for aerospace gas turbine engine can be competitive for future engines, that meets emission targets (e.g. ACARE goals) & emerging legislation and aligns to the vision proposed for the Advanced Systems in the Lifting Off – Implementing the Strategic Vision for UK Aerospace. Specifically, novel lean burn fuel spray design and manufacturing capability will be established in the UK.

The aerospace engine and industrial gas turbine industry have historically used corrosion resistant coatings manufacturfed from precursors that contain hexavalent chrome. These slurry based coatings are cost effective and offer the best corrosion resistance. The REACH regulations will ban the use of the hexavalent chrome precursors from Septmber 2017. New coatings therefore need to be developed that offer the same or better high temperature corrosion resistance without a significant increase in cost. A consortium of Siemens, Rolls Royce, Indestructible Paint and Monitor Coatings have come together to develop new hexavalent chrome free slurry coatings that can be applied to high temperature components in gas turbines. Three new forumaltions will be developed and tested within the programme with the aim of taking the technology to TRL4 by the end of the project, and to introducing the coatings into service within thrtee years after the end of the project.

European legislation (REACh regulations) requires the elimination of hexavalent Chromium (Cr6+), which is carcinogenic, by September 2017. Existing sacrificial coatings, used for corrosion protection in aerospace, all contain Cr6+ and, therefore, must be replaced. Currently available alternatives do not give acceptable performance, so new replacement materials are needed. A complete supply chain consortium, plus academic and CATAPULT support, has been brought together to address this issue. This project aims to formulate a new sacrificial coating for corrosion protection of steel aero-engine components that is free from hexavalent chromium and demonstrate the technology to TRL5. In addition, improved, cost-effective application methodology will be developed, incorporating automation where appropriate, to increase manufacturing rate and capacity and reduce waste. Furthermore, in a field traditionally developed on an empirical basis, this project aims to provide an improved science based understanding of the coating behaviour, which will underpin the innovative sacrificial coating technology being developed.

Project CAN is a collaboration between the UK aerosapce industries, UK X-ray technology companies and academia to develop new testing techniques to ensure modern aircraft are designed using the latest materials and techniques to reduce their environmental impact whilst ensuring their safe operation. Two technologies will be developed for the testing of aircraft structures, components and engines; X-ray back scatter and Laminar CT. The new techniques have their origins in both medical equipment and cross border security equipment. The project partners see the techniques as crucial to the UK retaining its strong position as a worldwide leader in the aerospace market.

This project, led by Rolls-Royce, will develop the detailed design of an aero gas turbine engine core demonstrator, aimed at verifying advanced technologies for the next generation of large civil engines at a whole system level. In establishing the detailed design, the project will prove the feasibility of the demonstrator and reduce the risks associated with the demonstrator to a low enough level to allow the full launch of manufacture of the demonstrator vehicle.

The HEEDS consortium consists of several leading UK Aerospace component suppliers who deliver complex, high integrity, embedded electronic systems on aviation platforms. The consortium has been loosely formed over 4 years through organisations such as the Electronics National Technical Committee (NTC), linked to the Aerospace KTN to address the increasing requirement for electronic systems to function, survive and meet the life requirements of the systems that they control. The consortia consists of a number of end user companies that deliver the final products together with component and packaging capable organisations and also the link to the High Value Manufacturing Technology Centre (MTC) where the prototype capability will be develop manufacturing processes and techniques so that final product exploitation can be achieved. This projects strongly aligns to the ATI Lifting Off Strategy and will give the UK a key global advantage for its existing and future industry.

This project is a response to the need to develop new multi-disciplinary design and integration processes to support the conceptual design and assessment of future aircraft configurations. Such developments are essential if designers are to be able to deliver robust product concepts for novel wing and aircraft configurations, making use of new technologies. Airbus and Rolls-Royce, together with a number of specialist industrial and academic technology providers, have joined forces within this project to develop a selection of innovative capabilities to meet the future product needs. By bringing together designers and methods developers, it will be possible to demonstrate and evaluate the benefits gained from adoption of these enhanced capabilities for a range of potential aircraft architectures, making deployment more effective and paving the way for even further capability enhancement in the future. The project started in 2013.

Advanced Laser Manufacture for Emissions Reduction (ALMER) This program of work is designed to capitalise on the rapidly emerging technology of Powder Bed Direct Laser Deposition (PBDLD). This technology will enable conceptual design freedoms not available to conventional methods used for the manufacture of aerospace Combustion components. Advanced cooling technologies and lighter components will be manufactured using PBDLD. To achieve this, a consortium of companies of varying sizes, research organisations and academic Institutions will deliver material data for categorisation in a known high temperature alloys, which will enable components to be designed and validated for use. Software is also being developed as part of this program, to exploit this manufacturing technology for the design of components with minimum weight, whilst retaining the desired strength and functionality. This work will ensure that the UK remains at the leading edge of PBDLD, and is able to exploit the benefits in terms of reduced emissions. This will enable compliance with ever increasingly stringent aerospace legislation.

Within the aerospace sector, aftermarket services account for over fifty percent of revenue generated by aero engine manufacturers. Central to this is the ability to inspect and repair high unit cost components, both on-platform and in repair and overhaul facilities, in order to safely return them to operational service. With the drive towards ever-increasingly complex aero-engine architectures, highly engineered components and advanced material systems, many existing repair processes will not be capable of meeting the new aftemarket need. This project will therefore develop and demonstrate three key advanced repair technologies, including the cost-efficient high-integrity repair of blisks, on-platform repair and structural repair of composite components. These repair processes must be capable of being applied to complex geometries and accommodate component variation resulting from service operation.

SILOET II P13 will provide Rolls-Royce with aerodynamic and aero acoustic prediction capabilities for use in multi-disciplinary optimisation design techniques for the challenges of the installed engine associated with future higher bypass ratio engines aircraft concepts for entry into service in 2020 and beyond. These are essential to achieve the ACARE and FlightPath 2050 targets for noise, fuel burn and NOx. Through increased collaboration between UK aircraft noise research teams at the Universities of Southampton, Cambridge, Cranfield and Loughborough, SILOET II P13 will provide a step change in nacelle aerodynamic and aero acoustic modelling capability within the aircraft installed environment validated by high fidelity measured data. Application of this new capability will place Rolls-Royce and its associated UK aerospace supply chains in a position to win a major part of the very large post-2020 high-value civil aircraft market.

In the quest for increased engine efficiency (and therefore lower emissions with reduced fuel consumption), this is driving higher pressure ratios and operating temperatures in order to achieve improved thermodynamic efficiency. Rolls-Royce has invented a material called RR1000 which enables an increase in material operating capability. This project delivers three key work-packages to a technology readiness level that enables high temperature Nickel alloy exploitation in future engines: - Powder Hot Isostatic Pressing (PHIP) RR1000 for application in the Combustion Chamber Outer Casing (CCOC) - Validated RR1000 high temperature disc material capability - Joining of RR1000 for high temperature high pressure drum capability Rolls-Royce is leading the industrial research in collaboration with the University of Oxford and the University of Swansea who provide expertise in key areas. The new technologies will help reduce fuel consumption and resultant CO2 emissions; and improve component life and life predictions

Future civil aerospace gas turbine competitiveness will rely on higher temperature core turbo machinery and higher temperature performance cycles to improve fuel burn and emissions. This project is focused on the development of new high temperature turbine capability. The application of novel Ceramic Matrix Composites will be explored as a potential new material system in the core turbines. A number of other technologies including new alloy chemistry and protective coating developments will also be developed. Testing will be carried out at specimen, component and sub-system level in rigs and engines.

Aircraft in service are forecasted to double next 20 years with approximately 30,000 new aircraft. To minimise their environment impact a sustained improvement in the efficiency of gas turbine engines is required. For aerospace, the Advisory Council on Aeronautics Research and Innovation in Europe (ACARE), has defined long term challenging competitiveness and environmental goals for the aviation industry. This, together with the airline operators’ requirement for extended time periods between overhauls, requires the introduction of step change technologies. As engine cycles move to lower specific thrust to reduce fuel burn and CO2, fans tend to become larger for a given thrust and therefore the fan system’s weight must be reduced or else the fuel burn advantage is lost. This programme is aimed at introducing a carbon fibre composite fan system on to next generation Rolls-Royce engines. As a lightweight material with high resistance to fatigue, carbon fibre reinforced organic matrix composites provide significant potential for reducing the weight of major components in the gas turbine engine and increasing their operating life when used in applications prone to vibration. A reduced weight saves energy and fuel and consequently reduces emissions. This programme includes design and tooling for the next generation composite fan system aimed at meeting future large engine market. It also includes mechanical and environmental testing to validate such designs.

SAMULET II Project 9 Composite Fan System Manufacturing Development aims to develop a number of manufacturing technologies associated with components of an integrated composite fan system. At the conclusion of this research Manufacturing Capability Readiness Level (MCRL) 6 will have been achieved. This develops the manufacturing capability to a level of maturity capable of deployment in a production facility. The underlying technologies will reduce cost of product, improve quality, increase the rate of manufacture and mitigate supply chain risk.

This project is concerned with developing the materials and associated manufacturing technology required to enable electrical machines, motors and generators to operate at temperatures some 200-300C higher than is currently possible. This will overcome an intrinsic limitation which has limited the environments in which it is possible to use electrical machines since their initial development more than 150 years ago. There are a number of important applications in which this is expected to be of real significance. For example, in the design of civil aircraft engines to enable them to be more fuel efficient - by integrating the electrical and turbine components; in the extraction of energy from geothermal sources where the underground temperature might be as high as 500C, and to allow the extraction of oil from low pressure reserves deep underground or from oil sands requiring the application of superheated steam to enable the oil to flow and be pumped to the surface - where we may require pumps to operate at temperatures of 350 C or more. Such materials may also allow us to design and operate more conventional motors at higher power without failure, enabling smaller and lighter motors to be incorporated into domestic appliances such as washing machines, reducing cost and with the resultant benefits to the environment.

We stand on the brink of unmanned aviation becoming a reality. Both the US and Europe have now declared timescales for revising the regulatory frameworks which, within the next 5 years will unlock an immense market – both for new vehicles and services emerging from the SME base, and as a disruptive capability which will see the progressive integration of autonomy technology into the civil market, and lead to autonomous civil freight within 10 years and potentially passenger transport thereafter. As a result of the collaboration between the ASTRAEA consortium and the CAA, the UK is now recognised as a world leader by the regulatory authorities in Europe, and is well-positioned to influence the form which the regulations ultimately take: ensuring that the interests of all UK industrial providers are represented (i.e. appropriate for safety, but not overburdening); and allowing the underpinning technology to be exploited to our competitive advantage. The purpose of this proposal is to allow the dialogue with the Regulators initiated under ASTRAEA to continue over the next 18 month formative period engaging actively with CAA and consulting with the SME base.

Within the aerospace sector, aftermarket services account for over 50% of revenue generated by aero engine manufacturers (Rolls-Royce Annual Report, dated March 2013). Central to this is the ability to inspect and repair high unit cost components. Many processes are manual but given the ever-increasing quality, cost and delivery requirements and the safety critical nature of these rotating parts, there is a strong drive towards process automation. The objective of this project is therefore to develop and demonstrate the automation of inspection, sentencing and removal of defects present on service-run components such as gas turbine discs and shafts. The automation of each aspect of the process will need to be capable of being applied to complex geometries and accommodate component and feature variation resulting from service operation. As this capability does not exist, a project consortium has been assembled to address this issue over a period of three years, at a cost of £1.7M. The final deliverable of this project will be a full demonstration of the technology developed on a representative component.

The marine industry faces continued pressure to reduce emissions and improve efficiency to ensure sustainable growth. Wave foil technology can offer a substantial part of the solution to achieve this efficiency improvement, utilising hydrodynamic forces to stabilise and provide forward thrust to the vessel by virtue of its movement in relation to waves. This significantly reduces the drag and already provides full self propulsion for smaller unmanned vessels. Wave Foil technology has been successfully demonstrated on smaller scale unmanned vessel tests (3m) and the Wave Augmented Foil Technology (WAFT) project seeks to overcome the challenges faced with scaling this technology to larger manned vessel applications, which has never been done before, demonstrating that feasible system solutions are viable and that significant fuel burn reductions can be achieved, exceeding 10% reduction in fuel burn and therefore emissions. A collaboration of large OEM (Rolls-Royce plc) and two micro SMEs (Marine One Stop Technologies (MOST) Ltd and Seaspeed Marine Consulting Ltd) aim to combine their expertise and take this promising innovative marine technology to develop validated design solutions for wave foil technology on a range of vessel sizes, delivering substantial fuel burn and emissions reduction benefits for the maritime industry. The project offers significant potential UK growth in production and supply of innovative marine technology, building on existing production capability, and growth of design, support and consultancy services in the UK.

SILOET II Project 12 covers the design, make, test and data analysis for an advanced high pressure ratio compressor. This compressor addresses the requirements of a future gas turbine architecture concept identified to meet the environmental targets with new wide body aircraft with an EIS of 2020 and beyond. The project will draw on technologies investigated in current lower technology readiness level projects in order to achieve efficiency beyond the state of the art and will provide TRL5 validation.

SAMULET II Project 10: Fast Make delivers rapid manufacturing capability for aerospace applications in the United Kingdom (UK). In order to deliver fit for purpose parts parts to demonstrator projects and engine production programmes within accelerated lead times there is the need to develop new and innovative manufacturing and modelling technologies that meet the aerospace quality requirements within a much compressed timescale. Fast Make requires an integrated approach and brings together ‘fast business processes’, ‘fast make’ and ‘fast processing’ to achieve a step change in development lead-times. This capability will maximise timely technology insertion to enhance product competitiveness. This is a collaborative programme utilising the skills and competencies within the High Value Manufacturing CATAPULT and University network. The results of the research will be validated and delivered by the manufacture of first-off parts and system demonstrations.

The Project proposed targets the development and verification of a wide, but holistic set of Turbine technologies for improved component and sub-system competitiveness of future Turbines. Starting with the inclusion of a number of novel Turbine technologies in the TED (Turbine Endurance Demonstrator) engines to achieve the long term goal of improved fuel efficiency and specific fuel consumption prior to product insertion. This continues with the advancement of aerodynamic and cooling aspects, considering suitable means of rapid manufacturing methods, and lastly, looking into introducing new high temperature material capabilities for highly corrosive environments, a significant range of technologies required for the next generation of Core Turbines for Aero engines will be covered within this Project.

This project, led by Rolls-Royce, will develop the preliminary concept design of an aero gas turbine engine core demonstrator, aimed at verifying advanced technologies for the next generation of large civil engines at a whole system level. In establishing the preliminary concept design, the project will prove the feasibility of progressing to the detailed design the demonstrator and reduce some of the risks associated with the demonstrator vehicle.

This project aims to significantly enhance the performance, reliability and cost of the aerospace gas turbine engine control system to ensure not only a competitive future engine but one that meets emission targets (e.g. ACARE goals) & emerging legislation. The project intends to develop advanced fuel system technologies aligning to the vision proposed for the Advanced Systems in the Lifting Off – Implementing the Strategic Vision for UK Aerospace. Specifically, novel advanced actuators to accommodate higher duty & fit to an ever shrinking engine envelope, step change improvement in fuel pumping as a result of higher duty, flow rate, thermal efficiency and reliability, development of power electronics and electric machines to supporting electric pumping delivering the benefits of a more electric aircraft and finally to examine future engine health monitoring for increased efficiency and cost saving benefits.

SILOET II Project 18 comprises a total of 9 Work Packages aimed at improving fuel burn, emissions, operating cost and development costs associated with future large civil aeroengines. The Work Packages include programmes on cooled cooling air, advanced turbine tip clearance control, turbine blade release containment, oil systems, bearing load management, elevating fuel operating temperature, adaptive internal air systems, and advanced seals. All of the work packages propose innovation and advancement of complex system technologies that are critical to the principal attributes of next generation large civil engine core architectures.

The production of large and ultra-large forgings for civil nuclear applications presents many challenges, from logistical to metallurgical. With the development of production routes used to manufacture near-net shape forgings, the complexity of the forged component is increasing. The increased complexity means that traditional, component measurement techniques are pushed to their limits and these measurements can only be made once the forging reaches room temperature. This study intends to investigate the feasibility of using 3D laser scanners to measure large/ultra large forgings at both elevated and room temperature. This capability would give forge personnel the opportunity to compare the 3D forged geometry with the final part and immediately allow for rectification if necessary. The project also intends to look at ways to optimse the heat treatment of such large forged components.

Cr6+ chemistry dominates the field of corrosion protection; however, its elimination by 2016 as currently recommended by REACH, requires new alternates to be found. Some alternatives have been proposed, but there is no wide acceptance of them and the acceptance criteria and test regime to support new developments, other than salt fog testing, which is widely seen as inadequate, do not exist. This is of particular concern to the aerospace industry as critical aerospace applications require the use of “paint finishes to protect the base metal from corrosion for up to 40 years to ensure the safety of passengers” (ASD position paper to ECHA, dated 13 September 2011). The development of valid, industry wide test methodologies, application of these to the development of REACH compliant replacements suitable for rapid deployment before 2016 is thus required. A consortium has been brought together to address this issue over 2 years.

This project is researching key innovative technologies that will enable improved fuel economy and reduced emissions for future aircraft configurations having distributed propulsion (DP) and boundary layer ingestion (BLI). Relative to existing civil aircraft, the propulsion system will be much more closely integrated into the airframe design. Distributed fans ingest boundary layer airstreams from the wings/fuselage of the aircraft and re-accelerate them to produce thrust more efficiently than current engines. The key enabling technology is the transfer of electrical power from a few main engines to a number of distributed fans. To quantify the benefits, the project will study fan designs optimised for BLI and electrical transmission systems. EADS, Rolls-Royce (RR) and Cranfield University, with some testing work subcontracted to Cambridge University will deliver a preferred electrical DP system to support the future design of eco-friendly efficient aircraft.

Flow simulation capabilities have made an enormous impact on airframe and propulsion design in the last decades. However, this impact has been largely restricted to ‘design condition’ operation. The technologies which have been honed and incrementally improved, over many years, for this purpose are not able to handle off-design points or other conditions in which highly complex flows are encountered. Enormous benefits will flow from off-design flow simulation (e.g. substantial saving in airframe weight; robust improvements in engine performance). These benefits cannot be realized by evolutionary development. A step change in approach is required. In this regard, three major UK aerospace companies propose to collaborate with the objectives of a) establishing the current state of the art (SoA); b) taking a major step forward in the SoA that also delivers an interim industrial SimOD capability and c) setting out the next step strategy for establishing full industrial maturity.

Gas turbine technology is developing rapidly in the drive to reduce fuel burn and environmental impact. The accurate modelling and understanding of turbo-machinery flow is a fundamental requirement for the design of high performance, low emission turbo machines. It is also a key enabler to meeting the requirements of future engines, where changes in architecture will drive towards larger, lower pressure ratio fans and smaller higher pressure ratio core components at a given thrust size. The proposal will help to accelerate progress in a number of key high potential aerodynamic technologies, through a programme of strong industry/academic collaboration.

One of the most fundamental properties affecting the aerodynamic performance of a body is its shape. With progressively increasing demands for performance, the need to explore and optimise the performance of novel airframe shapes rapidly and with robust, efficient processes is becoming increasingly important. This poses significant challenges for the ways in which the associated geometry is generated and manipulated (in support of design) both on its wetted surfaces and in the adjacent air flow (i.e. the computational mesh). Greater attention is being focused on these challenges globally and it is vital that the UK keeps ahead of the competition. The proposed research programme will, for the first time, bring together key strands of the UK aerodynamics community who are currently active in this area, facilitate knowledge sharing and cross-fertilisation via complementary, research activities, and establish innovative capabilities and shared understanding.

Gas turbine technology is developing rapidly in the drive to reduce fuel burn and environmental impact. This programme develops several novel design concepts for the fan, compressor, installation and combustor, which have the potential to provide significant improvements in engine performance. Modern experimental and computational techniques will also be used to improve the way individual engine sub-sytems are integrated, in order to produce a system-optimised engine design. The programme combines Rolls-Royce's strong position in the aerospace industry with the aerodynamics expertise that exists within UK universities, to foster new innovation and hence help to maintain the UK's position at the forefront of this cutting-edge technology. It will also develop new high-tech capabilities and highly-skilled personnel within these universities, to the benefit of UK industry as a whole.

HARMONY will provide the UK aviation industry with unsteady flow and aeroacoustic prediction capabilities for the key airframe and propulsion noise sources associated with future concepts for entry into service in 2020 and beyond. These are essential to achieve the Global ACARE 2020 and 2030 entry into service emissions targets for noise, fuel burn and NOx through multi-disciplinary optimisation design. HARMONY will provide a step change in aeroacoustic modelling capability validated by high fidelity measured data, and facilitated by increased collaboration between UK aviation noise research teams at Southampton and Cambridge Universities, and the major UK aerospace industrial organisations Rolls-Royce, Airbus Operations Ltd and Bombardier. Application of this new capability will place the major UK aerospace OEMs and their associated UK aerospace supply chains in a position to win a major part of the very large post-2020 high-value civil aircraft market

Several critical systems for Rolls-Royce engines are located on the fan case – to move fuel, oil, power and electricity around the engine. Current external dressings for a typical large engine have over 2,700 parts and take 600 hours to build. A collaboration between Rolls-Royce, the National Composite Centre (NCC) and bf1 systems, the ENABLES system embeds this complex network of dressings into composite rafts. This innovative technology will deliver significant benefits, including a 30% part count reduction, weight reduction, build time/cost savings and a predicted 50% reduction of in-service reliability issues. An SME, bf1 systems achieved AS9100 accreditation and ‘special processes’ supplier approval from Rolls-Royce. “Involvement has fundamentally changed the way we manufacture – the knowledge gained in aerospace processes and controls will be of great benefit to us, supporting future growth across multiple market sectors”, noted James Welham, Finance Director bf1 systems Rolls-Royce has invested £8m in a dedicated facility in Bristol, manufacturing ~400 engine sets of rafts a year and employing up to 35 people. ENABLES will be certified on the Trent 1000-TEN for the Boeing 787, having successfully completed engine ground tests and flight tests. This project has received funding from the European Union’s Seventh Framework Programme for research, technological development and demonstration.

The objective of this project is to develop gas turbine technologies to improve the prediction of component lives, develop new high temperature alloys for combustor components, deliver validated cooling designs to increase cooling efficiency and reduce both manufacture and life cycle cost, develop a suite of tools to optimise cooling design at a low technology readiness level, enhance Lean Burn technology maturity towards exploitation in engine products and improve the design of the interface between the combustor and turbine modules to reduce engine fuel consumption.

Awaiting Public Project Summary

The High Temperature Compressors and Discs project is a collaborative research and technology project led by Rolls-Royce with University of Nottingham, University of Surrey and Swansea University. The project aims to develop compressor system and material technologies for future civil aerospace gas turbine engines, with potential wider benefits of exploitation in gas turbines for other market sectors. New technologies will enable increased temperatures for gas turbines which will help reduce fuel consumption and resultant CO2 emissions; and improve component life and life predictions. Fundamental and applied research will develop new materials and new designs of compressor sub-systems to improve thermal management.

The Holistic Optimising Systems Project is a collaborative research and technology project led by Rolls-Royce plc with Rolls-Royce Engine Control Systems Ltd (previously known as Aero Engine Controls Ltd), Raytheon UK and the University of Sheffield. The project aims to develop a range of aerospace gas turbine engine control technologies which operate as a system that optimises its performance with consideration of the overall performance of the engine. These technologies are expected to improve performance in terms of fuel consumption, emissions and in service operation. The project scope includes sub-system design, modelling and demonstration in appropriate test vehicles.

Awaiting Public Project Summary

The health management of complex rotating machinery is a key enabler to operate machines at high levels of efficiency both to maximise profit and minimise environmental impact of operation. This project is involved in developing advanced methods to identify and monitor the drivers of deterioration in rotating machines resulting down time for maintenance activities. The addational challenge in this project is the sucessful identification and validation of deterioration before it has occurred in an operational environment. This will be achieved through a combined simulation and tests methodology to produce validated operational behaviour with in a sub system test environment.

Awaiting Public Project Summary

The High Temperature and Turbine Technology Development and Demonstration project is a collaborative research and technology project led by Rolls-Royce with University of Oxford, University of Cambridge and Swansea University. The project aims to develop turbine technologies for future civil aerospace gas turbine engines, with potential wider benefits of exploitation in gas turbines for other market sectors. New technologies will help reduce fuel consumption and resultant CO2 emissions; and improve component life and life predictions. Fundamental and applied research will be pulled through to representative engine components for tests in rigs and full system testing in a high temperature demonstrator engine.

Awaiting Public Project Summary

The Lightweight Fan System Technology Development project is a collaborative research and technology project led by Rolls-Royce working with the University of Oxford. The project aims to develop fan system technologies for future civil aerospace gas turbine engines. New technologies will help reduce weight and resultant CO2 emissions. This project will take new designs of fan system components and carry out a range of mechanical and environmental testing in rigs leading up to full system testing.

The overall weight of a modern high bypass ratio large thrust engine, such as the Rolls-Royce Trent family is dominated by the weight of the fan system. Rolls-Royce is developing a composite fan system for deployment in future civil gas turbine engines, with the primary aim to deliver a significant weight saving. This enables substantial improvements in specific fuel consumption (sfc), thereby contributing to reduced emissions and achievement of the ACARE targets. Improving the propulsive efficiency requires ultra-high engine bypass through design of the fan system, which means increasing fan diameter and potentially weight. With the introduction of a composite fan system an overall weight saving of >300 kg is possible, which equates to a 0.2% sfc reduction. This was a collaboration between Rolls-Royce, GKN Aerospace and University of Bristol. This project developed future design and modelling capability and developed key capabilities for the overall fan system, ensuring its operation is robust and reliable. This included developing a robust liner system that protects the casing and allows the overall structure to be as lightweight as possible. The project also developed robust tip-rubbing capability for the blade tip; development of fire-proofing the composite casing structures; and development of Non Destructive Testing (NDT) capabilities to inspect the containment case and liner. This project is an enabler for the next generation of aero gas turbines and offers enhanced product competitiveness through reduced engine weight, leading to reduced fuel burn and hence lower environmental emissions. The project has significantly grown the capability of Rolls-Royce in the domain of composite technology. A Composite Technology Hub has been established in Bristol; the advanced manufacturing centre will be at the forefront of developing the next generation of fan blades and fan cases.

Rolls-Royce is developing a composite fan system for deployment in future civil gas turbine engines. The primary aim of a composite fan system is to deliver a significant weight saving, which enables substantial improvements in specific fuel consumption (sfc), thereby contributing to reduced emissions and achievement of the ACARE targets. It is predicted that manufacturing major fan system components (blade and case) from composite material will save approximately 350 kg in weight per engine (based on Trent 1000 engine size), which equates to a saving of 150 tonnes of CO2 emissions per aircraft per year. There is far less material waste in the manufacture of a composite case, with >85% of the raw material in the final product, compared to about 15% for a metallic case. The method of manufacture of a composite case also consumes significantly less energy, primarily due to the lower processing temperatures. This was a collaboration between Rolls-Royce and GKN Aerospace. The project successfully demonstrated Composite Fan Case manufacturing capability on representative development equipment, and identified the additional work required to be able to demonstrate manufacturing capability on production equipment. Composite fan cases for the system level engine test programme were manufactured through this project. A reduction in the cost of the composite manufacturing method has been achieved through process optimisation and development of automated methods for the composite fan case. The project is an enabler for the next generation of aero gas turbines and offers enhanced product competitiveness through reduced engine weight, leading to reduced fuel burn and hence lower environmental emissions. The development of the method of manufacture has reduced the process cycle times, with opportunities for further reductions, driving a cost-effective solution. The knowledge gained in this project can be applied to many composite applications in the future.

Titanium matrix composites (TMC), silicon carbide fibre in a titanium alloy matrix, are novel materials with a unique combination of strength and low weight attractive in a range of applications e.g. aerospace, space and energy sectors. The objective of the TICCRAMM – Titanium Matrix Composite Cost Reduction and Manufacturing Maturity - project is to develop existing production technologies for TMC to lay the foundation for a high value supply chain into these sectors. The proposal brings together a consortium led by TMC specialist SME TISICS of OEMs Rolls-Royce and Messier Bugatti Dowty, SKYLON spacecraft development SME Reaction Engines and supply chain partner Bodycote HIP. The project aims to resolve key technological challenges for greater manufacturing maturity and viable manufacturing economics; reducing silicon carbide fibre process steps, developing customisable net shape manufacturing methods, new low cost and / or reusable tooling materials and improving feedstock conversion. Current low volume demand, low maturity and manufacturing methods dispersed between OEMs and SMEs make the technology uneconomic at present; success will lead to a world-leading, low-cost integrated capability for TMC as the foundation of a future UK supply chain for demanding applications, markets, and environments which are mass critical and unsuited to polymer composites. In aerospace TMC can reduce weight and thus fuel burn, emissions and life cycle costs. Similarly, improved performance, reliability and service life can be achieved in other sectors.

The current manufacturing process for cold complex structures involves joining cold-formed details by both mechanical and non-mechanical methods and is reliant on tacit skills inherent in skilled labour. The main aim of this project was to develop novel technology to enhance the manufacture of fabricated components, to produce consistent competitive products. The project concentrated on advancing the understanding and utilisation of automated welding techniques, using robots to weld Outlet Guide Vane components during assembly and fabrication. The project also focused on developing novel manufacturing technologies to significantly reduce cost, improved lead-time and enable more complex 3D designs for large static structures. Collaboration with the Manufacturing Technology Centre (MTC) supported the aim of this project which included design, installation and development of automated welding cells at the MTC. During this project, Rolls-Royce employed around 15 staff focusing on industrial research. At the MTC 10 jobs were created due to the expansion of the team to deliver the project, and a further 5 jobs were safeguarded. The project met the original expectations with a significant level of technology development during this project. A new method for laser welding the non–acoustic core faring was developed, reducing the cycle time by more than 80%. This is a significant step change in technology which not only simplifies the manufacturing of cold fabrications but offers designers an opportunity to maximise the technology though more complex fabrication designs, advancing future engine technology. A novel tooling system and prototype fixture was developed to weld elements of a non-acoustic core fairing. The successful development trials enabled the manufacture of a prototype Trent XWB 97 component which was used on on-wing trials of a development engine. Rolls-Royce has procured a £2m automated laser cell which has now been installed in its Hucknall facility. This cell will initially be targeted at new engine components, however, there is an opportunity to maximise the benefits of the technology by applying it to legacy components. This technology also offers significant cost reduction over conventional fabrications., “Hucknall is now making a product that was probably going to go out onto our sub-contract network or was going to be outsourced. This investment means Rolls-Royce is now not going to do that.” Ian Wilson, Rolls-Royce Trade Union Convenor

Awaiting Public Project Summary

This project has explored a number of new, low TRL technologies, to understand the capabilities and opportunities for application in future aerospace components. Automated assembly and inspection, advanced tooling development, improvements to welding capability, and modelling methods to predict manufacturing processes, will deliver improvements to manufacturing time, and significant cost reductions. Rolls-Royce has detailed plans in place to further develop these technologies and implement into its production facilities in the UK.

Rolls-Royce is developing a composite fan system for deployment in future civil gas turbine engines. The primary aim of a composite fan system is to deliver a significant weight saving. The blades and associated composite engine casings will form part of the new CTi fan system that could reduce weight by up to 1,500lb per aircraft, the equivalent of carrying seven more passengers and their luggage. This project sought to develop, understand and demonstrate aspects of manufacturing technologies required for the production of composite fan blades ranging in length from 60” to 140”. Specific areas of research included: cost reduction; development of manufacturing methods for structural metalwork to very strict tolerances; and improvements to blade assembly techniques. This project raised the Manufacturing Capability Readiness Level (MCRL) to 4, enabling improvements in composite laminate conformance and overall blade dimensional conformance, resulting in blades that offer improved aerodynamic performance and resistance to impact from foreign bodies. Stability and technical capability of the manufacturing process have been demonstrated under controlled conditions. The rate of manufacture for defined components has been demonstrated using a defined manufacturing process. Significant improvements in cycle time have been secured - for example the debulking process, used to remove unwanted variability from design geometry during the composite lay-up process, has been reduced in time by 60%. Rolls-Royce is developing a new, pre-production facility to test these manufacturing techniques in conjunction with the National Composites Centre (NCC) in Bristol, creating a hub of composite knowledge. It is expected that 120 jobs will be secured by the end of 2019 due to the investment. The facility will support the ongoing scope of research and development in gas turbine composite manufacturing technologies. In the UK, 30 people have been employed directly by GKN Aerospace on this project. In the supply chain it is estimated that a further 20 jobs have been generated. These jobs should be secured over the next 4 years towards production. At the National Composites Centre 6 new jobs were created by this project. The project significantly strengthened the relationship between Rolls-Royce and the NCC, expanding the capability of the Centre for industrial research. This has led directly to Rolls-Royce placing further industrial research work at the Centre across Aerospace, Marine and Nuclear sectors. “Working with Rolls-Royce… has benefited the National Composites Centre (NCC) in terms of improving the technical capability of NCC resource and has demonstrated [that] the NCC can deliver technically complex projects, resulting in substantial [projects] being won from Rolls-Royce.” Matt Hocking, NCC Technology Programme Manager

The Tighter Specification Aerofoils Project aimed to develop new manufacturing processes that enable cost competitive manufacture of advanced aerofoil designs which rotate at high speeds and efficiently compress the incoming air. These included: new forging methods; optimised machining; improvements to the Superplastic Forming process. The project aimed to achieve 30% improvement in productivity, 100% Right First Time, and significantly reduced process cycle times. This project was a collaboration between Rolls-Royce, the University of Sheffield Advanced Manufacturing Research Centre (AMRC) and Advanced Forging and Forming Research Centre (AFRC). The project incorporated multiple new tooling and machining technologies, and novel processes to produce great improvements in forging high temperature aerospace materials, to significantly increase die life and accuracy of finished components. These improvements and the development of new form tools have reduced the amount of operations to manufacture the front bearing housing and rear outer casting. There were also significant improvements in the Super Plastic Forming, significantly increasing process understanding, reducing tooling and validation costs and new product introduction lead time. As a result, Rolls-Royce has safeguarded 15 UK jobs and purchased over £4m of capital equipment for aerofoil machining / forging in the Inchinnan facility and super plastic forming in the Barnoldswick facility. Many of the technologies developed in this project will be deployed in the new facility in Barnoldswick where Rolls-Royce is investing over £28m for a wide chord fan blade facility extension. This will provide a significant work to SMEs and local suppliers to provide tooling, fixtures, dies and materials. Rolls-Royce will incorporate the new Super Plastic Forming technologies onto all future SPF blades produced at Barnoldswick, with an opportunity to apply this technology onto legacy components. The first exploitation of the technologies developed will be in the Trent 1000 and XWB engines. “Rolls-Royce, working in conjunction with the Research Centres has overcome significant technical challenges to develop technologies that offer tighter specification aerofoils, helping to significantly improve future aerofoil manufacture at our Inchinnan and Barnoldswick facilities.” Steve Burgess, Director, Manufacturing Technology, Rolls-Royce

The main aim of the Affordable Blisk project was to develop technologies to significantly reduce manufacturing lead time and cost for these complex aerospace components. A blisk (bladed disc) is created as single part by the joining of a blade to a disc, enabling substantial weight and performance benefits, when compared to conventional disc/blades arrangements. A collaboration between Rolls-Royce, the University of Sheffield Advanced Manufacturing Research Centre (AMRC) and the Manufacturing Technology Centre (MTC), the aim of this project was to reduce the manufacturing cycle times by 30%. This reduction in cost helps to ensure these new technologies are available for civil applications, supporting future engine designs and confirming our competitiveness in this market. During this project, Rolls-Royce employed around 20 staff. This project successfully developed a multitude of novel blisk technologies including novel fixture design, advanced machining programmes, optimised cutter paths, novel tooling, rapid Coordinate Measuring Machine (CMM) programmes and novel surface finishing processes. Collectively, these technologies have generated improvements in blisk manufacture in excess of 30%. The cost of manufacturing titanium-coated silicon carbide fibre is very expensive. The team successfully developed novel fibre coating technologies which exceeded all the project targets with a 45% decrease in coated fibre cost and 100% productivity increase for the Rotherham facility. The first use of the blisk technologies is aimed for a Trent XWB-97 engine flying test bed. Rolls-Royce is currently in the process of developing the capacity and capability to enable volume production of these complex components, with new Linear Friction Welding processes and capital equipment currently being installed in Rolls-Royce’s Compressor Rotor Facility in Annesley, near Nottingham In addition, the project developed a Titanium Metal Matrix Composite (TiMMC) process to coat “ceramic fibres”. This technology enables a significant improvement in the strength and stiffness of components, while reducing their weight. The project improved process capability and automation, to drive down cost and enable wider use of the technology across the UK aerospace supply chain. “The project facilitated the development of the team of Researchers and Engineers specialising in Titanium Metal Matrix Composites, ensuring that the UK maintains its leading position in this field. The technology developed has enabled the broadening of skills and experience as the manufacturing process has been matured. A number of the techniques have found application in other technology areas.” Richard Scaife, Head of Composites, AMRC Composite Centre

Rolls-Royce is developing a composite fan system for deployment in future civil gas turbine engines. The primary aim of a composite fan system is to deliver a significant weight saving. The blades and associated composite engine casings will form part of the new CTi fan system that could reduce weight by up to 1,500lb per aircraft, the equivalent of carrying seven more passengers and their luggage. This project sought to develop, understand and demonstrate aspects of manufacturing technologies required for the production of composite fan blades ranging in length from 60” to 140”. Specific areas of research included: cost reduction; development of manufacturing methods for structural metalwork to very strict tolerances; and improvements to blade assembly techniques. This project raised the Manufacturing Capability Readiness Level (MCRL) to 4, enabling improvements in composite laminate conformance and overall blade dimensional conformance, resulting in blades that offer improved aerodynamic performance and resistance to impact from foreign bodies. Stability and technical capability of the manufacturing process have been demonstrated under controlled conditions. The rate of manufacture for defined components has been demonstrated using a defined manufacturing process. Significant improvements in cycle time have been secured - for example the debulking process, used to remove unwanted variability from design geometry during the composite lay-up process, has been reduced in time by 60%. Rolls-Royce is developing a new, pre-production facility to test these manufacturing techniques in conjunction with the National Composites Centre (NCC) in Bristol, creating a hub of composite knowledge. It is expected that 120 jobs will be secured by the end of 2019 due to the investment. The facility will support the ongoing scope of research and development in gas turbine composite manufacturing technologies. In the UK, 30 people have been employed directly by GKN Aerospace on this project. In the supply chain it is estimated that a further 20 jobs have been generated. These jobs should be secured over the next 4 years towards production. At the National Composites Centre 6 new jobs were created by this project. The project significantly strengthened the relationship between Rolls-Royce and the NCC, expanding the capability of the Centre for industrial research. This has led directly to Rolls-Royce placing further industrial research work at the Centre across Aerospace, Marine and Nuclear sectors. “Working with Rolls-Royce… has benefited the National Composites Centre (NCC) in terms of improving the technical capability of NCC resource and has demonstrated [that] the NCC can deliver technically complex projects, resulting in substantial [projects] being won from Rolls-Royce.” Matt Hocking, NCC Technology Programme Manager

The aim of this project was to develop methods and technologies to deliver step-change improvements in the manufacture of aero-engine shaft components, to achieve reduced cycle times and manual intervention, and improved Right First Time. Such improvements are necessary to enable Rolls-Royce to deliver the volume of shafts required to meet the growing global demand for the Trent XWB. The collaboration with the Advanced Manufacturing Research Centre (AMRC) generated novel cutting strategies, advanced fixturisation, optimised cutting tool configurations, in-cycle inspection, complex computer modelling and dynamic frequency monitoring to machine full-scale shaft components. Traditionally, critical shafts are machined from forgings with low material utilisation rates of typically below 10%. This results in high material input weights and excessive manufacturing time to machine the forgings to final geometry. Working in collaboration with the Advanced Forming Research Centre (AFRC), the project also developed flow forming technology to produce near nett shape shafts. The project significantly exceeded expectations with the Manufacturing Capability Readiness Level (MCRL) raised from 2 to 6 with significant business benefits so far such as: reducing cycle times for shaft machining by 45% against an original target of 30%, reducing manual interventions were reduced by 80% against a target of 50% and raising the feature right first time rate to 99.6%. The High Performance Shaft Machining technology has been successfully implemented into the Rolls-Royce D-site facility in Derby for the manufacture of production mainline shafts and stubshafts. This has led to an increase in productivity enabling the facility to increase UK manufacturing of these critical aerospace components. In addition, this has provided extra workload for the UK SMEs and businesses supplying the tooling, fixtures, services and consumables. The cycle time improvement, the reduction in manual interventions and increase in RFT have been incorporated into a new method of manufacture. “As UK agents for WF we have been very pleased to continue the good relationship with the AFRC. We have supplied new tooling for AFRC. Rolls-Royce projects have extended the knowledge base of AFRC and developed UK knowledge of the possibilities of spinning and flow forming technology. Pearson Panke have had the opportunity of introducing the AFRC to other potential UK users of these technologies.” Pearson Panke Ltd, London (UK rep for WF flow forming machines)

Rolls-Royce is developing a composite fan system for deployment in future civil gas turbine engines. The primary aim of a composite fan system is to deliver a significant weight saving. The blades and associated composite engine casings will form part of the new CTi fan system that could reduce weight by up to 1,500lb per aircraft, the equivalent of carrying seven more passengers and their luggage. This project sought to develop, understand and demonstrate aspects of manufacturing technologies required for the production of composite fan blades ranging in length from 60” to 140”. Specific areas of research included: cost reduction; development of manufacturing methods for structural metalwork to very strict tolerances; and improvements to blade assembly techniques. This project raised the Manufacturing Capability Readiness Level (MCRL) to 4, enabling improvements in composite laminate conformance and overall blade dimensional conformance, resulting in blades that offer improved aerodynamic performance and resistance to impact from foreign bodies. Stability and technical capability of the manufacturing process have been demonstrated under controlled conditions. The rate of manufacture for defined components has been demonstrated using a defined manufacturing process. Significant improvements in cycle time have been secured - for example the debulking process, used to remove unwanted variability from design geometry during the composite lay-up process, has been reduced in time by 60%. Rolls-Royce is developing a new, pre-production facility to test these manufacturing techniques in conjunction with the National Composites Centre (NCC) in Bristol, creating a hub of composite knowledge. It is expected that 120 jobs will be secured by the end of 2019 due to the investment. The facility will support the ongoing scope of research and development in gas turbine composite manufacturing technologies. In the UK, 30 people have been employed directly by GKN Aerospace on this project. In the supply chain it is estimated that a further 20 jobs have been generated. These jobs should be secured over the next 4 years towards production. At the National Composites Centre 6 new jobs were created by this project. The project significantly strengthened the relationship between Rolls-Royce and the NCC, expanding the capability of the Centre for industrial research. This has led directly to Rolls-Royce placing further industrial research work at the Centre across Aerospace, Marine and Nuclear sectors. “Working with Rolls-Royce… has benefited the National Composites Centre (NCC) in terms of improving the technical capability of NCC resource and has demonstrated [that] the NCC can deliver technically complex projects, resulting in substantial [projects] being won from Rolls-Royce.” Matt Hocking, NCC Technology Programme Manager

Awaiting Public Project Summary

Rolls-Royce is developing a composite fan system for deployment in future civil gas turbine engines. The primary aim of a composite fan system is to deliver a significant weight saving. The blades and associated composite engine casings will form part of the new CTi fan system that could reduce weight by up to 1,500lb per aircraft, the equivalent of carrying seven more passengers and their luggage. This project sought to develop, understand and demonstrate aspects of manufacturing technologies required for the production of composite fan blades ranging in length from 60” to 140”. Specific areas of research included: cost reduction; development of manufacturing methods for structural metalwork to very strict tolerances; and improvements to blade assembly techniques. This project raised the Manufacturing Capability Readiness Level (MCRL) to 4, enabling improvements in composite laminate conformance and overall blade dimensional conformance, resulting in blades that offer improved aerodynamic performance and resistance to impact from foreign bodies. Stability and technical capability of the manufacturing process have been demonstrated under controlled conditions. The rate of manufacture for defined components has been demonstrated using a defined manufacturing process. Significant improvements in cycle time have been secured - for example the debulking process, used to remove unwanted variability from design geometry during the composite lay-up process, has been reduced in time by 60%. Rolls-Royce is developing a new, pre-production facility to test these manufacturing techniques in conjunction with the National Composites Centre (NCC) in Bristol, creating a hub of composite knowledge. It is expected that 120 jobs will be secured by the end of 2019 due to the investment. The facility will support the ongoing scope of research and development in gas turbine composite manufacturing technologies. In the UK, 30 people have been employed directly by GKN Aerospace on this project. In the supply chain it is estimated that a further 20 jobs have been generated. These jobs should be secured over the next 4 years towards production. At the National Composites Centre 6 new jobs were created by this project. The project significantly strengthened the relationship between Rolls-Royce and the NCC, expanding the capability of the Centre for industrial research. This has led directly to Rolls-Royce placing further industrial research work at the Centre across Aerospace, Marine and Nuclear sectors. “Working with Rolls-Royce… has benefited the National Composites Centre (NCC) in terms of improving the technical capability of NCC resource and has demonstrated [that] the NCC can deliver technically complex projects, resulting in substantial [projects] being won from Rolls-Royce.” Matt Hocking, NCC Technology Programme Manager

Awaiting Public Project Summary

Rolls-Royce is developing a composite fan system for deployment in future civil gas turbine engines. The primary aim of a composite fan system is to deliver a significant weight saving. The blades and associated composite engine casings will form part of the new CTi fan system that could reduce weight by up to 1,500lb per aircraft, the equivalent of carrying seven more passengers and their luggage. This project sought to develop, understand and demonstrate aspects of manufacturing technologies required for the production of composite fan blades ranging in length from 60” to 140”. Specific areas of research included: cost reduction; development of manufacturing methods for structural metalwork to very strict tolerances; and improvements to blade assembly techniques. This project raised the Manufacturing Capability Readiness Level (MCRL) to 4, enabling improvements in composite laminate conformance and overall blade dimensional conformance, resulting in blades that offer improved aerodynamic performance and resistance to impact from foreign bodies. Stability and technical capability of the manufacturing process have been demonstrated under controlled conditions. The rate of manufacture for defined components has been demonstrated using a defined manufacturing process. Significant improvements in cycle time have been secured - for example the debulking process, used to remove unwanted variability from design geometry during the composite lay-up process, has been reduced in time by 60%. Rolls-Royce is developing a new, pre-production facility to test these manufacturing techniques in conjunction with the National Composites Centre (NCC) in Bristol, creating a hub of composite knowledge. It is expected that 120 jobs will be secured by the end of 2019 due to the investment. The facility will support the ongoing scope of research and development in gas turbine composite manufacturing technologies. In the UK, 30 people have been employed directly by GKN Aerospace on this project. In the supply chain it is estimated that a further 20 jobs have been generated. These jobs should be secured over the next 4 years towards production. At the National Composites Centre 6 new jobs were created by this project. The project significantly strengthened the relationship between Rolls-Royce and the NCC, expanding the capability of the Centre for industrial research. This has led directly to Rolls-Royce placing further industrial research work at the Centre across Aerospace, Marine and Nuclear sectors. “Working with Rolls-Royce… has benefited the National Composites Centre (NCC) in terms of improving the technical capability of NCC resource and has demonstrated [that] the NCC can deliver technically complex projects, resulting in substantial [projects] being won from Rolls-Royce.” Matt Hocking, NCC Technology Programme Manager

Awaiting Public Project Summary

Rolls-Royce is developing a composite fan system for deployment in future civil gas turbine engines. The primary aim of a composite fan system is to deliver a significant weight saving. The blades and associated composite engine casings will form part of the new CTi fan system that could reduce weight by up to 1,500lb per aircraft, the equivalent of carrying seven more passengers and their luggage. This project sought to develop, understand and demonstrate aspects of manufacturing technologies required for the production of composite fan blades ranging in length from 60” to 140”. Specific areas of research included: cost reduction; development of manufacturing methods for structural metalwork to very strict tolerances; and improvements to blade assembly techniques. This project raised the Manufacturing Capability Readiness Level (MCRL) to 4, enabling improvements in composite laminate conformance and overall blade dimensional conformance, resulting in blades that offer improved aerodynamic performance and resistance to impact from foreign bodies. Stability and technical capability of the manufacturing process have been demonstrated under controlled conditions. The rate of manufacture for defined components has been demonstrated using a defined manufacturing process. Significant improvements in cycle time have been secured - for example the debulking process, used to remove unwanted variability from design geometry during the composite lay-up process, has been reduced in time by 60%. Rolls-Royce is developing a new, pre-production facility to test these manufacturing techniques in conjunction with the National Composites Centre (NCC) in Bristol, creating a hub of composite knowledge. It is expected that 120 jobs will be secured by the end of 2019 due to the investment. The facility will support the ongoing scope of research and development in gas turbine composite manufacturing technologies. In the UK, 30 people have been employed directly by GKN Aerospace on this project. In the supply chain it is estimated that a further 20 jobs have been generated. These jobs should be secured over the next 4 years towards production. At the National Composites Centre 6 new jobs were created by this project. The project significantly strengthened the relationship between Rolls-Royce and the NCC, expanding the capability of the Centre for industrial research. This has led directly to Rolls-Royce placing further industrial research work at the Centre across Aerospace, Marine and Nuclear sectors. “Working with Rolls-Royce… has benefited the National Composites Centre (NCC) in terms of improving the technical capability of NCC resource and has demonstrated [that] the NCC can deliver technically complex projects, resulting in substantial [projects] being won from Rolls-Royce.” Matt Hocking, NCC Technology Programme Manager

Awaiting Public Project Summary

Rolls-Royce is developing a composite fan system for deployment in future civil gas turbine engines. The primary aim of a composite fan system is to deliver a significant weight saving. The blades and associated composite engine casings will form part of the new CTi fan system that could reduce weight by up to 1,500lb per aircraft, the equivalent of carrying seven more passengers and their luggage. This project sought to develop, understand and demonstrate aspects of manufacturing technologies required for the production of composite fan blades ranging in length from 60” to 140”. Specific areas of research included: cost reduction; development of manufacturing methods for structural metalwork to very strict tolerances; and improvements to blade assembly techniques. This project raised the Manufacturing Capability Readiness Level (MCRL) to 4, enabling improvements in composite laminate conformance and overall blade dimensional conformance, resulting in blades that offer improved aerodynamic performance and resistance to impact from foreign bodies. Stability and technical capability of the manufacturing process have been demonstrated under controlled conditions. The rate of manufacture for defined components has been demonstrated using a defined manufacturing process. Significant improvements in cycle time have been secured - for example the debulking process, used to remove unwanted variability from design geometry during the composite lay-up process, has been reduced in time by 60%. Rolls-Royce is developing a new, pre-production facility to test these manufacturing techniques in conjunction with the National Composites Centre (NCC) in Bristol, creating a hub of composite knowledge. It is expected that 120 jobs will be secured by the end of 2019 due to the investment. The facility will support the ongoing scope of research and development in gas turbine composite manufacturing technologies. In the UK, 30 people have been employed directly by GKN Aerospace on this project. In the supply chain it is estimated that a further 20 jobs have been generated. These jobs should be secured over the next 4 years towards production. At the National Composites Centre 6 new jobs were created by this project. The project significantly strengthened the relationship between Rolls-Royce and the NCC, expanding the capability of the Centre for industrial research. This has led directly to Rolls-Royce placing further industrial research work at the Centre across Aerospace, Marine and Nuclear sectors. “Working with Rolls-Royce… has benefited the National Composites Centre (NCC) in terms of improving the technical capability of NCC resource and has demonstrated [that] the NCC can deliver technically complex projects, resulting in substantial [projects] being won from Rolls-Royce.” Matt Hocking, NCC Technology Programme Manager

Awaiting Public Project Summary

Rolls-Royce is developing a composite fan system for deployment in future civil gas turbine engines. The primary aim of a composite fan system is to deliver a significant weight saving. The blades and associated composite engine casings will form part of the new CTi fan system that could reduce weight by up to 1,500lb per aircraft, the equivalent of carrying seven more passengers and their luggage. This project sought to develop, understand and demonstrate aspects of manufacturing technologies required for the production of composite fan blades ranging in length from 60” to 140”. Specific areas of research included: cost reduction; development of manufacturing methods for structural metalwork to very strict tolerances; and improvements to blade assembly techniques. This project raised the Manufacturing Capability Readiness Level (MCRL) to 4, enabling improvements in composite laminate conformance and overall blade dimensional conformance, resulting in blades that offer improved aerodynamic performance and resistance to impact from foreign bodies. Stability and technical capability of the manufacturing process have been demonstrated under controlled conditions. The rate of manufacture for defined components has been demonstrated using a defined manufacturing process. Significant improvements in cycle time have been secured - for example the debulking process, used to remove unwanted variability from design geometry during the composite lay-up process, has been reduced in time by 60%. Rolls-Royce is developing a new, pre-production facility to test these manufacturing techniques in conjunction with the National Composites Centre (NCC) in Bristol, creating a hub of composite knowledge. It is expected that 120 jobs will be secured by the end of 2019 due to the investment. The facility will support the ongoing scope of research and development in gas turbine composite manufacturing technologies. In the UK, 30 people have been employed directly by GKN Aerospace on this project. In the supply chain it is estimated that a further 20 jobs have been generated. These jobs should be secured over the next 4 years towards production. At the National Composites Centre 6 new jobs were created by this project. The project significantly strengthened the relationship between Rolls-Royce and the NCC, expanding the capability of the Centre for industrial research. This has led directly to Rolls-Royce placing further industrial research work at the Centre across Aerospace, Marine and Nuclear sectors. “Working with Rolls-Royce… has benefited the National Composites Centre (NCC) in terms of improving the technical capability of NCC resource and has demonstrated [that] the NCC can deliver technically complex projects, resulting in substantial [projects] being won from Rolls-Royce.” Matt Hocking, NCC Technology Programme Manager

Awaiting Public Project Summary

Rolls-Royce is developing a composite fan system for deployment in future civil gas turbine engines. The primary aim of a composite fan system is to deliver a significant weight saving. The blades and associated composite engine casings will form part of the new CTi fan system that could reduce weight by up to 1,500lb per aircraft, the equivalent of carrying seven more passengers and their luggage. This project sought to develop, understand and demonstrate aspects of manufacturing technologies required for the production of composite fan blades ranging in length from 60” to 140”. Specific areas of research included: cost reduction; development of manufacturing methods for structural metalwork to very strict tolerances; and improvements to blade assembly techniques. This project raised the Manufacturing Capability Readiness Level (MCRL) to 4, enabling improvements in composite laminate conformance and overall blade dimensional conformance, resulting in blades that offer improved aerodynamic performance and resistance to impact from foreign bodies. Stability and technical capability of the manufacturing process have been demonstrated under controlled conditions. The rate of manufacture for defined components has been demonstrated using a defined manufacturing process. Significant improvements in cycle time have been secured - for example the debulking process, used to remove unwanted variability from design geometry during the composite lay-up process, has been reduced in time by 60%. Rolls-Royce is developing a new, pre-production facility to test these manufacturing techniques in conjunction with the National Composites Centre (NCC) in Bristol, creating a hub of composite knowledge. It is expected that 120 jobs will be secured by the end of 2019 due to the investment. The facility will support the ongoing scope of research and development in gas turbine composite manufacturing technologies. In the UK, 30 people have been employed directly by GKN Aerospace on this project. In the supply chain it is estimated that a further 20 jobs have been generated. These jobs should be secured over the next 4 years towards production. At the National Composites Centre 6 new jobs were created by this project. The project significantly strengthened the relationship between Rolls-Royce and the NCC, expanding the capability of the Centre for industrial research. This has led directly to Rolls-Royce placing further industrial research work at the Centre across Aerospace, Marine and Nuclear sectors. “Working with Rolls-Royce… has benefited the National Composites Centre (NCC) in terms of improving the technical capability of NCC resource and has demonstrated [that] the NCC can deliver technically complex projects, resulting in substantial [projects] being won from Rolls-Royce.” Matt Hocking, NCC Technology Programme Manager

Awaiting Public Project Summary

Rolls-Royce is developing a composite fan system for deployment in future civil gas turbine engines. The primary aim of a composite fan system is to deliver a significant weight saving. The blades and associated composite engine casings will form part of the new CTi fan system that could reduce weight by up to 1,500lb per aircraft, the equivalent of carrying seven more passengers and their luggage. This project sought to develop, understand and demonstrate aspects of manufacturing technologies required for the production of composite fan blades ranging in length from 60” to 140”. Specific areas of research included: cost reduction; development of manufacturing methods for structural metalwork to very strict tolerances; and improvements to blade assembly techniques. This project raised the Manufacturing Capability Readiness Level (MCRL) to 4, enabling improvements in composite laminate conformance and overall blade dimensional conformance, resulting in blades that offer improved aerodynamic performance and resistance to impact from foreign bodies. Stability and technical capability of the manufacturing process have been demonstrated under controlled conditions. The rate of manufacture for defined components has been demonstrated using a defined manufacturing process. Significant improvements in cycle time have been secured - for example the debulking process, used to remove unwanted variability from design geometry during the composite lay-up process, has been reduced in time by 60%. Rolls-Royce is developing a new, pre-production facility to test these manufacturing techniques in conjunction with the National Composites Centre (NCC) in Bristol, creating a hub of composite knowledge. It is expected that 120 jobs will be secured by the end of 2019 due to the investment. The facility will support the ongoing scope of research and development in gas turbine composite manufacturing technologies. In the UK, 30 people have been employed directly by GKN Aerospace on this project. In the supply chain it is estimated that a further 20 jobs have been generated. These jobs should be secured over the next 4 years towards production. At the National Composites Centre 6 new jobs were created by this project. The project significantly strengthened the relationship between Rolls-Royce and the NCC, expanding the capability of the Centre for industrial research. This has led directly to Rolls-Royce placing further industrial research work at the Centre across Aerospace, Marine and Nuclear sectors. “Working with Rolls-Royce… has benefited the National Composites Centre (NCC) in terms of improving the technical capability of NCC resource and has demonstrated [that] the NCC can deliver technically complex projects, resulting in substantial [projects] being won from Rolls-Royce.” Matt Hocking, NCC Technology Programme Manager

Awaiting Public Project Summary

Rolls-Royce is developing a composite fan system for deployment in future civil gas turbine engines. The primary aim of a composite fan system is to deliver a significant weight saving. The blades and associated composite engine casings will form part of the new CTi fan system that could reduce weight by up to 1,500lb per aircraft, the equivalent of carrying seven more passengers and their luggage. This project sought to develop, understand and demonstrate aspects of manufacturing technologies required for the production of composite fan blades ranging in length from 60” to 140”. Specific areas of research included: cost reduction; development of manufacturing methods for structural metalwork to very strict tolerances; and improvements to blade assembly techniques. This project raised the Manufacturing Capability Readiness Level (MCRL) to 4, enabling improvements in composite laminate conformance and overall blade dimensional conformance, resulting in blades that offer improved aerodynamic performance and resistance to impact from foreign bodies. Stability and technical capability of the manufacturing process have been demonstrated under controlled conditions. The rate of manufacture for defined components has been demonstrated using a defined manufacturing process. Significant improvements in cycle time have been secured - for example the debulking process, used to remove unwanted variability from design geometry during the composite lay-up process, has been reduced in time by 60%. Rolls-Royce is developing a new, pre-production facility to test these manufacturing techniques in conjunction with the National Composites Centre (NCC) in Bristol, creating a hub of composite knowledge. It is expected that 120 jobs will be secured by the end of 2019 due to the investment. The facility will support the ongoing scope of research and development in gas turbine composite manufacturing technologies. In the UK, 30 people have been employed directly by GKN Aerospace on this project. In the supply chain it is estimated that a further 20 jobs have been generated. These jobs should be secured over the next 4 years towards production. At the National Composites Centre 6 new jobs were created by this project. The project significantly strengthened the relationship between Rolls-Royce and the NCC, expanding the capability of the Centre for industrial research. This has led directly to Rolls-Royce placing further industrial research work at the Centre across Aerospace, Marine and Nuclear sectors. “Working with Rolls-Royce… has benefited the National Composites Centre (NCC) in terms of improving the technical capability of NCC resource and has demonstrated [that] the NCC can deliver technically complex projects, resulting in substantial [projects] being won from Rolls-Royce.” Matt Hocking, NCC Technology Programme Manager

Awaiting Public Project Summary

Rolls-Royce is developing a composite fan system for deployment in future civil gas turbine engines. The primary aim of a composite fan system is to deliver a significant weight saving. The blades and associated composite engine casings will form part of the new CTi fan system that could reduce weight by up to 1,500lb per aircraft, the equivalent of carrying seven more passengers and their luggage. This project sought to develop, understand and demonstrate aspects of manufacturing technologies required for the production of composite fan blades ranging in length from 60” to 140”. Specific areas of research included: cost reduction; development of manufacturing methods for structural metalwork to very strict tolerances; and improvements to blade assembly techniques. This project raised the Manufacturing Capability Readiness Level (MCRL) to 4, enabling improvements in composite laminate conformance and overall blade dimensional conformance, resulting in blades that offer improved aerodynamic performance and resistance to impact from foreign bodies. Stability and technical capability of the manufacturing process have been demonstrated under controlled conditions. The rate of manufacture for defined components has been demonstrated using a defined manufacturing process. Significant improvements in cycle time have been secured - for example the debulking process, used to remove unwanted variability from design geometry during the composite lay-up process, has been reduced in time by 60%. Rolls-Royce is developing a new, pre-production facility to test these manufacturing techniques in conjunction with the National Composites Centre (NCC) in Bristol, creating a hub of composite knowledge. It is expected that 120 jobs will be secured by the end of 2019 due to the investment. The facility will support the ongoing scope of research and development in gas turbine composite manufacturing technologies. In the UK, 30 people have been employed directly by GKN Aerospace on this project. In the supply chain it is estimated that a further 20 jobs have been generated. These jobs should be secured over the next 4 years towards production. At the National Composites Centre 6 new jobs were created by this project. The project significantly strengthened the relationship between Rolls-Royce and the NCC, expanding the capability of the Centre for industrial research. This has led directly to Rolls-Royce placing further industrial research work at the Centre across Aerospace, Marine and Nuclear sectors. “Working with Rolls-Royce… has benefited the National Composites Centre (NCC) in terms of improving the technical capability of NCC resource and has demonstrated [that] the NCC can deliver technically complex projects, resulting in substantial [projects] being won from Rolls-Royce.” Matt Hocking, NCC Technology Programme Manager

Awaiting Public Project Summary

Superconducting machines are a means to greatly increase the torque and power density of electrical machines. In order to establish the magnitude of this increase, the partners in the TSB Programmable Superconducting AC Machine or PSAM project (i.e. Cambridge University, EADS Innovation Works, Magnifye, led by Rolls-Royce plc) will design, build and test a demonstrator superconducting machine in which both the stator and rotor are superconducting. The stator will use MgB2 superconductors and the rotor will employ programmable YBCO permanent magnet bulks. Initial indications are that the torque density increase is about 8 compared to conventional (non-superconducting) machines that can provide future benefits in a number of applications including transport, marine and aerospace.

SCAMPER: Scale -up of Additive manufacturing with Materials manipulation Processing for higher performance and rEducing waste in manufacturing and Repair Technology Strategy Board: Technology Inspired Collaborative Research and Development – High Value Manufacturing TP number: 5684-44827 The key driver for SCAMPER is to reduce material waste for production and repair applications in the aerospace sector using Additive Manufacturing (AM) techniques. AM via Laser Metal Deposition (LMD) significantly reduces material waste and enables direct manufacture of complex components in an expanded range of metallic alloys. SCAMPER will aim to improve LMD technology in terms of suitable materials, production rate and size of components for manufacture and repair applications. To meet these objectives two areas of LMD technology will be developed: Diffractive Optical Elements (DOE's) and robotic manipulation software. DOE's will enable the controlled delivery of high laser powers which will allow deposition of the desired material microstructure whilst increasing deposition rates. The robotic manipulation software will enable complex parts to be generated using laser deposition delivered by robotic arms. The total grant rewarded to the SCAMPER project is approximately £500k. The SCAMPER consortium brings together world leaders in DOE design in Laser Optical Engineering Ltd, AM software specialists Materialise Ltd, Robot supplier & system integrator Olympus Technologies Ltd and LMD Research & Development expertise from TWI Ltd. The project will be driven from end users EADS UK Ltd and Rolls Royce plc who will assist in exploitation of the LMD technology within the aerospace sector.

STRAPP is a collaborative project to address the issue of trust in the use of shared digital systems, by developing innovative uses of provenance information to enhance the decision making process. Modern businesses rely heavily on information stored and processed by computer systems to make crucial, high value business decisions, frequently based upon data collected and manipulated by many distributed sources and services. Trust in this information relies critically on its provenance (where it comes from, how generated etc.), which is normally unknown. STRAPP will develop a novel provenance framework for trusted digital spaces that is secure, dependable, personalised, provides context-aware, timely information and advises the user of the level of risk associated with the information.

Awaiting Public Summary

The CLIMATE programmes main objective is to assess the risks involved in upgrading Waspalloy discs to 720Li discs for power generation application under corrosive environments. The principal mechanism influencing component integrity at these harsher loading conditions will be high temperature corrosion-fatigue. To achieve this, the project will investigate conditions for corrosion on Industrial gas turbine firtrees, It will then develop rigs where such conditions can be replicated and test for corrosion fatigue, crack propagation and corrosion sub element tests, which will enable the development of component-life models. The project will then validate the models for predicting component crack initiation lives and crack growth rates under corrosion fatigue conditions. The main benefits of this project are an increased fuel efficiency and power output and a set of test techniques and component-life models applicable to a wide range of existing and new materials.

The ASTRAEA II (Autonomous Systems Technology Related Airborne Evaluation & Assessment) programme will establish the route to operate Unmanned Air Systems (UAS) in civil airspace. The outcome of ASTRAEA will be both disruptive and revolutionary through changing the assumption that has existed without question for the last century concerning the role of the human in aviation, by operating UAS that are autonomous, with responsible human oversight from the ground. This challenge can only be satisfied by innovation in the key UAS technology areas of sense and avoid, autonomy, communications, operations and human/system interaction. A key aspect of ASTRAEA is the innovative application and maturation of these technologies to ensure that UAS can be integrated into the existing manned aviation environment in a safe and transparent fashion. A process of 'Virtual Certification' with the CAA will be employed within ASTRAEA II to ensure that appropriate requirements can be set and that certifiable systems can be developed. ASTRAEA II will deliver compliant and demonstrable technical solutions within the three year programme timeframe. With TSB support, the aim is to enable civil use ofUAS from 2012, and maintain a 3+ year lead on the rest of the world with a corresponding impact on initial market penetration and with the long term objective of stabilising UK share of a mature UAS market at a level in excess of current manned aerospace.

Awaiting Public Summary

FRETSGATE will develop a novel optical temperature and pressure sensor with the potential to reduce CO2 emissions from UK power generation by >1 million tonnes per annum (mtpa) through efficiency gains. Gas Turbines (GTs) for power generation produce >40% of UK electricity and 81mtpa of CO2. Combustion control is key to radically improving GT efficiency and reducing CO2 emissions, yet little high performance instrumentation is available for the harsh conditions. This is currently addressed by running engines with wide safety margins leading to combustion conditions not optimised for efficiency. FRETSGATE leverages the consortiums knowledge, skills and technology base to develop high speed sensors for real time combustion monitoring. The project will develop an optical sensor head and matching interrogator. The system will be developed through proof of concept to a technology demonstrator suitable for testing in realistic environments (e.g. engine test beds).

The Strategic Investment in Low Carbon Engine Technologies (SILOET) Project 1 was conceived by Rolls-Royce and its partners to deliver light weight, robust and reliable and fuel efficient Fan technologies. The Project aims to develop and validate these in a Light Weight Fan System. As engine cycles move to lower specific thrust to reduce fuel burn and CO2, fans tend to become larger for a given thrust and, therefore, the fan system’s weight must be reduced or else the fuel burn advantage is lost. This project, therefore, has 3 main parts – fan aero-acoustics and flutter; blade reinforcement and composite casing.

The Environmentally Lightweight Fan (ELF) project is a collaborative research programme, the goal of which is to develop, prove and bring to market readiness advanced production processes for new carbon fibre fan blades for aerospace gas turbine engines. Under Project C, Rolls-Royce is conducting validation testing required to achieve a technology readiness level suitable for introduction of a composite fan blade into a new engine project.

SILOET Project 4 – High Temperature Materials This project aims to make 5 materials technologies ready for deployment onto the next generation of civil gas turbines. The technologies are: • A new low cost single crystal alloy for blade applications. • A single crystal alloy with rare earth additions for blade applications • A Ni-based superalloy lifing correlation for turbine disc applications • A Dual microstructure Ni-based superalloy for turbine disc applications • Cast Titanium Aluminides for LP blade applications. The programme is being carried out by a consortium of Rolls-Royce plc and the Universities of Birmingham, Cambridge and Swansea at a total cost of £15.2 M. Delivery of these technologies will help meet the ACARE environmental targets.

This project covers aerospace gas turbine component technologies associated with compressor blisks, the air system and the oil system, which are linked to delivering fuel burn benefits, either through direct efficiency benefits, weight reduction, or enabling higher pressure ratio and temperature cycles. Advanced seals are a key strand delivering via rig testing and engine demonstration. Lubricant technology, oil lifing and the issue of heat to oil, focused on scavenge improvements, will also be addressed. The focus of the blisk activity will be on the key repair enabling technologies to reduce life cycle cost.

Integrated Decision Support – Simulation Tools Optimised system designs are founded upon simulation capability that has been verified by measurement and test. Current limitations in key simulation capabilities result in reduced performance in one or more product attributes leading to significant environmental and business impact. The key simulation capabilities developed by this project will address the innovations required to significantly extend the application of high fidelity simulation and focus on the themes of: Automated Meshing; Unsteady Advanced CFD; Large Structural and Dynamic Simulation; Life Prediction; Cost Modelling; High Temperature Instrumentation.

The drive to reduce aerospace gas turbine carbon emissions demands advances in core technology to achieve increased shaft speeds and higher cycle temperatures. For the turbine, the increased speed and temperature require shroudless blade designs with more advanced tip clearance control capability, as well as advances in component design to withstand the increased temperatures with more efficient use of cooling air. To this end SILOET Project 5 will focus on novel designs that will increase the temperature capability of the HP turbine system. At these temperatures a low emissions (lean burn) combustor will also be required to meet acceptable NOx levels, further increasing the temperature challenge at the extremities of the gas path. In order to meet this requirement, work must now be launched to further increase temperature capability.

Integrated Decision Support Systems The multi-physics simulations of detailed phenomena need to be coupled together into design and analysis systems capable of simulating product sub-systems and ultimately whole engines at variable levels of fidelity. Key enablers of this goal addressed in this project are: Coupling between models of differing fidelity; Integration of CFD and thermo-mechanical models; Effective use of high performance and massively parallel computing; Understanding and simulation of complex systems. The key Integrated Decision Support System capabilities developed by this project will address the innovations required to improve New Product Introduction (NPI) performance.

Work done to date on aerospace gas turbine lean burn combustion systems, and turbine tip clearance control systems, on the ANTLE and EFE demonstrator programmes has identified that there are significant challenges beyond the “conventional” scope of combustor and turbine tip clearance technologies. For example, the lean burn combustion system needs to be able to address the, sometimes conflicting, requirements of providing fuel to separate pilot and mains feeds within the burner, but without introducing regions of stagnant hot fuel with the associated risk of coking, and without complex pipe arrangements that would influence the response time of the system to demanded power change. It is essential that capability is developed in the related systems that control their operation and that these systems are fully integrated into the whole engine architecture. The objectives of this project are to increase the Technology Readiness Level of the full system capability needed to complement a lean burn combustor, and to deliver improved tip clearance control capability beyond that planned in existing programmes.

Project 6: High productivity technology and methods - To develop manufacturing technologies to address the challenge of significantly improving the productivity of our current and future manufacturing processes to meet the pressures of a global economy where a step change from current levels is vital to remain competitive. Near term productivity improvements and competitive advantage in manufacturing through development of currently available technology.

SAMULET Project 5: Processing of Advanced Materials - To develop the manufacturing technologies to efficiently process “advanced materials”, metallic materials, polymeric and composite structures. Manufacturing technologies include the primary processes to form, create or join components or assemblies including inspection for damage or faults and how to repair. Applying high performance materials to their full potential will result in long term financial and environmental benefits throughout the supply chain.

SAMULET Project 4 is focused on Novel and Transformed Processes within Manufacturing. Participants include Industry (BAE Systems and Rolls-Royce) and Academia (Universities of Birmingham, Manchester, Nottingham, Sheffield, Southampton and Strathclyde).

SYstem Manufacturing and Product design tHrough cOmponent Noise technologY To reduce aircraft noise around airports and allow air traffic to grow, sustained noise reduction programmes are required, supported by Industry, National and European Funding. In addition, noise within aircraft cabins is an issue for the comfort of passengers and crew. The work in SYMPHONY was primarily driven by the need to address the key noise challenges of a new 150-seater sector aircraft informed by the near-term ACARE environmental goals for 2015 and local noise restrictions and access to airports. In 2011, more ambitious longer term environmental goals were outlined in the European report Flightpath 2050, making the work in SYMPHONY an essential basis for future Partner competitiveness in aircraft noise. To achieve significant reductions in aircraft noise, it is necessary to reduce the noise of all the aircraft and engine components that contribute significantly to the total noise signature. This is because noise sources add in a logarithmic manner, such that reducing just one component can result in only a small effect on the total noise. SYMPHONY therefore delivered design methods and technology to address many of the principal sources of aircraft noise. The specific noise sources addressed were identified by individual partner company aircraft noise prediction processes, taking an integrated system approach to select specific technologies which simultaneously work together to achieve the broader environmental targets for noise, NOx and sfc. These requirements are reflected in the UK Noise Technology Roadmaps which are agreed by industry and universities under the EnvTec, NTC and X-Noise national networks. The SYMPHONY consortium, lead by aero-engine manufacturer Rolls-Royce, consisted of eight industrial and academic partners representing a major section of the UK aero-acoustics community. Airframe manufacturer Airbus UK led the low noise landing gear studies and additionally contributed to the installation studies. Bombardier (Shorts) and GKN brought to the collaboration their extensive experience as nacelle suppliers to the aircraft industry. QinetiQ is a world leader in consultancy for exhaust noise and cabin noise, and in addition tests took place in their anechoic Noise Test Facility (NTF) which is the key strategic UK Noise facility for the dominant aircraft exhaust and installations noise sources. Southampton University developed prediction methods for noise of specific components, and implemented methods in the whole-aircraft noise prediction design system. This university has contributed effectively to most of the UK and EU noise research programmes over the past decade in addition to its on-going collaboration with Rolls-Royce and Airbus. Cambridge University developed prediction methods for turbo-machinery tone noise and combustion noise; it has a long record of excellence for the design of turbo-machinery and combustion components. Loughborough University contributed to aerodynamic modelling of high-speed flows associated with engine bleed systems and brought some 20 years experience in modelling high speed flows and validation techniques. A number of innovative low-noise technologies were investigated in SYMPHONY, including techniques for reducing bleed system noise by detailed design, for attenuating fan noise by exploiting mode scattering at liner discontinuities, for reducing landing gear noise by careful attention to elements of the design not previously investigated, and for reducing jet noise by designing 3D nozzles specifically aimed at reducing jet-wing interaction effects. The application of CFD and CAA to aircraft noise problems already stretches computational techniques to the limit, due to the technical complexity and extreme computer processing and memory requirements. In order to achieve the accuracy and noise frequency range required for product design, Southampton, Cambridge and Loughborough universities undertook further significant and innovative developments in SYMPHONY to allow multi-disciplinary design optimisation of noise and aerodynamics simultaneously, which is key to meeting the sfc, NOx and noise reduction targets. SYMPHONY comprised four Work Packages. At component level WPs 1-3 exploit innovative computational and experimental techniques to provide insight into the different noise source mechanisms, to deliver low noise concepts and to develop new physically-based noise design models. These component noise contributions were then integrated in WP4 into an optimised aircraft design. Dissemination of SYMPHONY results is through the EnvTec, NTC and X-Noise National Networks to inform the UK Noise Technology Roadmaps for the future programmes.

SAMULET for ‘Project 2 Combustions Systems for Low Environmental Impact’. These technologies support the attainment of the ACARE goals of reducing NOx, CO2 and noise by an integrated programme of aerothermal, mechanical, materials research linked to manufacturing advances. This research programme will deliver the building blocks for gas turbine combustion system technologies to ensure UK manufacturing competitiveness in the civil engine market. Project 2 consists of 25 tasks covering technology acquisition in areas including: lean burn combustion, rich burn combustion, combustion instabilities, fuel injection, novel module architectures, instrumentation and testing, cooling technology, coking, thermal barrier coating, materials and mechanical lifing. This research programme is built around exploiting new and novel advances in manufacturing processes to deliver an improved environmentally compatible, competitive combustion technology for insertion into the highly efficient cycles of future civil engines.

The SAMULET Project 3 programme is defined to develop transmissions and structures turbo-machinery technologies. This project will deliver novel technology enabling cost effective design for manufacture, component life analysis, part optimised manufacture and inspections. The overarching challenge within the lifecycle management activities within the project is to feed the design decision-making process with good quality, sufficiently accurate and timely information to maximise value, develop lifecycle knowledge and understand the environmental impact of the product. The project utilises the capabilities of the Rolls-Royce University Technology Centres (UTCs) coupled with Rolls-Royce’s expertise to develop transmissions and structures technology technologies to support the engine architectures of the future. These include new aerospace gear materials for increased engine duty; advanced aerospace structure manufacturing techniques and technologies; fluids system modelling of aero-engine bearing chamber performance; dynamic modelling of advanced sealing; lifecycle knowledge and environmental impact management systems.

This project will develop both turbine technologies for turbo-machinery that reduce fuel burn and hence CO2 emissions and technologies that improve component life and life prediction. This is by a programme of work developing fundamental and applied research that produces technologies that will be incorporated into future demonstrators. The project utilises the capabilities of the Rolls-Royce University Technology Centres (UTCs) coupled with Rolls-Royce’s expertise to develop technologies that address a range of high-temperature turbine challenges. These include improved coatings with better oxidation and environmental capability; improving lifing algorithms by improving the understanding of the effects of oxidation, fatigue, corrosion and coatings on component life; new and improved turbine cooling and aerodynamic technologies; demonstrating some of the aerodynamic technologies in a high speed rig; developing new casting technologies to improve the high temperature capability of single crystal alloys; improving aeromechanical design to reduce the impact of high cycle fatigue.

ASTRAEA is a unique programme that aims to open up new aerospace markets. The aim is to: Enable the routine use of Unmanned Aircraft Systems (UAS) in all classes of airspace without the need for restrictive or special conditions of operation Develop and demonstrate key technologies and operating procedures required to open up the airspace Support the development of the regulatory framework for this new class of operation Autonomy and Decision Making tackles the intelligence in the vehicle through a qualifiable variable autonomy system that shares decision making for the mission and contingency management with the human operator. This includes autonomous prognostics and health management of the vehicle systems. These technologies are potentially generic in nature although the project application will be airborne. The project includes elements of demonstration and interaction with the CAA regulator. The technologies developed could also find application in manned aircraft. For example, increasing situation awareness for pilots or potentially enabling single crew operation of large aircraft.

The project will develop technology to increase the life and reliability of advanced lightweight Ni-based gas turbine discs. This will be achieved by developing a new understanding of the degradation of the material in the operating environment and developing solutions that will enable the components to be operated for longer. The innovation will provide a step change in useable component life, improve the engine efficiency and reduce emissions. The value of the programme is £1.67M.

Awaiting Public Summary

WiTNESSS (WIreless Technologies for Novel Enhancement of Systems and Structures Serviceability) is a collaborative project which will research and de-risk wireless data transmission technology for key testing and structural health monitoring applications in aero engines, helicopters and fixed-wing aircraft. A consortium of key players from the UK aerospace industry, led by TRW Conekt, is to develop wireless data gathering and transmission technology for aircraft applications – with an investment of £1.6m from the Technology Strategy Board.

The purpose of this project is to develop the technology required for the implementation of an oxide/oxide ceramic matrix composite (CMC) in gas turbine applications. The ability to use oxide/oxide CMC’s for components in the combustor and turbine of the gas turbine would provide a step change in component temperature capability, enabling higher operating temperatures, improved engine efficiency and reduced CO2 emissions relative to the nickel based alloys currently used in these applications. CMCs that offer these capabilities are being developed outside of the UK, but these materials are expensive and export controls or competitive barriers exist for the materials and/or the key enabling technologies required for their implementation. Therefore, developing a UK capability for the manufacture and implementation of a high temperature CMC, as undertaken in this programme, offers significant technical and financial benefits for high tech industries operating from within the UK. To address the requirements for a material with a higher temperature capability than the nickel-based superalloys, an oxide/oxide CMC previously developed by Birmingham University (UoB) using a novel process route, that offers considerable benefits over the current technology, will be further developed within the programme and the technology transitioned from the laboratory environment to one of the industrial partners for adaptation and scaling of the process. Other elements of the programme include the manufacture of laminates and sub-elements in the CMC; the development of a thermal/abradable coating for the CMC; the characterisation of the material in terms of its physical and mechanical properties and failure/degredation mechanisms; assessment of non-destructive evaluation (NDE) techniques for examining the laminates and sub-elements; the development of a lifing methodology for oxide/oxide CMC’s; a review of potential repair techniques for CMCs and their coatings; and sub-element validation testing to prove the efficacy of the manufacturing processes, design concepts and lifing methods established during the programme.

Awaiting Public Summary

The Environmentally Lightweight Fan (ELF) project is a collaborative research programme, the goal of which is to develop, prove and bring to market readiness advanced production processes for new carbon fibre fan blades for aerospace gas turbine engines. Under Project B, Rolls-Royce has used the design and analytical tools to create definition for two fan blade designs. While GKN have developed the composite manufacturing processes towards achieving the unit cost targets from the business case. This project has also included a programme of material characterisation testing managed by GKN.

Awaiting Public Summary

No abstract available.

The Environmentally Lightweight Fan (ELF) project is a collaborative research programme, the goal of which is to develop, prove and bring to market readiness advanced production processes for new carbon fibre aerospace gas turbine engine fan blades. Under Project A, Rolls-Royce has created and developed the design and analytical tools necessary to create definitions for two fan blade designs. Whilst GKN have created and developed the composite manufacturing process capability towards achieving the design requirements and unit cost targets from the business case.

No abstract available.

One of the most cost-effective opportunities for improving the efficiency of the UK's gas turbine engines lies in the field of air sealing. Improvement in engine efficiency directly leads to a reduced fuel burn and reduced carbon dioxide emissions, contributing towards a lower environmental impact of gas turbine products. The Simulation and Evaluation of Advanced Long-life Seals (SEALS) Technology Strategy Board programme was a project aimed at developing a range of novel sealing technologies for turbine engines. Unlike conventional labyrinth seals which restrict the leakage flow by seal clearance matching and abradable materials, advanced seals operate with much smaller clearances by adapting to variations in their surroundings and in particular providing better accommodation of radial movement variation. This Rolls-Royce led project engaged in numerical and experimental modelling of advanced seals. This benefits the UK in two ways: first economic, by providing UK industry with competitive products and greater export revenue; secondly environmental, by reducing the carbon dioxide emissions from gas turbine propulsion and power units.

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No abstract available.

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No abstract available.

The public description for this project has been requested but has not yet been received.

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We propose to develop and exploit virtual reliability models to simulate operation wear out and failure mechanisms in electronic power modules. These devices underpin a broad range of applications in automotive, aerospace, traction and power distribution systems. Environmental legislation is forcing the development of new systems to reduce noise and harmful emissions. This requires development of next generation power modules. Testing and qualification of these devices is expensive and time-consuming. New integrated virtual reliability models are needed to identify potential problems early in the design stage to improve reliability, reduce time to market and drive down overall device cost, thereby improving the UK''s industrial competitiveness. The consortium brings together a diverse industrial base to lever expertise in modelling, design, testing and manufacturing which is required to enable the development of this complex design tool.

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No abstract available.