The aerospace industry is constantly pushing for weight reduction, higher fuel efficiency, lower emissions, and improved safety. Innovative and advanced materials are one of the most effective methods for advancing these aims. The challenge with innovative materials is that their behaviour is typically not as well understood as more conventional engineering materials and they are often more difficult to understand and design with. This is the case with aluminium matrix composites (AMCs). This project aims to accelerate adoption of AMCs into demanding applications by generating an in-depth understanding of how these materials fail under the most critical load case or mode and how to intelligently design with them, maximising their capability and improving performance to achieve greater efficiency in these applications.

Ford Motor Company (Ford), Composite Metal Technology (CMT) and M Wright &Sons (MWS) are collaborating on an Innovate UK funded project to develop a new manufacturing process for the production of aluminium castings reinforced with inserts manufactured from long-fibre aluminium matrix composite (AMC) materials, providing localised reinforcement and facilitating weight reduction. The project will deliver a new gravity die casting process for AMC-reinforced components, enabling higher production volumes at improved quality and reduced cost compared to the current sand casting process. MWS will support this development with a novel 3D fibre preform design concept, manufactured using a new adaptive weaving system that will allow flexible transverse reinforcement of preforms, modified according to component performance requirements. These developments will be demonstrated via the manufacture of a redesigned prototype powertrain bracket, with reduced weight and improved stiffness versus the standard aluminium component. The project will address one of the remaining inhibitors to widespread adoption of AMC reinforcement for aluminium components, and unlock the technology potential for customers in a broad range of industrial sectors.

Composite Metal Technology (CMT) and M.Wright &Sons (MWS) are collaborating on an Innovate UK funded project to accelerate the take-up of continuous fibre reinforced aluminium matrix composite materials (AMCs). The project is targetting a significant reduction in the piece cost of AMC inserts, and a shorter product development time for new component applications. AMC material, when used in the form of inserts cast within an aluminium component, is an efficient means of providing localised reinforcement and facilitating weight reduction. The work will involve the development of a new, standardised set of AMC inserts, with pre-determined mechanical properties, manufacturing feasibility and piece costs, available in short lead times. These inserts will incorporate novel 3D woven preforms produced by MWS, utilising a reduced proportion of alumina fibre but maintaining existing levels of strength and stiffness, through the exploitation of geometrical properties and advanced weaving techniques. In parallel, CMT and MWS will optimise manufacturing process parameters to reduce production costs and fibre wastage. A new mathematical model will enable the development of optimised infiltration process parameters for new designs. Taken together, these developments will address the remaining inhibitors to widespread adoption of AMC reinforcements for aluminium components and unlock the technology potential for customers in a broad range of industrial sectors.

The Large Landing Gear of the Future project will develop, mature and demonstrate key technologies that will improve the efficiency of aircraft landing gears in their design, manufacture, operation and cost of ownership. It will take a holistic view of the landing gear system construction and life cycle seeking to benefit from closer integration of key components and functions that have historically been addressed separately. The project will use technology demonstrators representative of an operational landing gear to validate the project outcomes. Messier-Dowty Ltd will lead a strong consortium of partners and subcontractors drawn from UK industry, the High Value Manufacturing Catapult Centres and academia to deliver the project.

Composite Metal Technology, together with the National Composites Centre and two industrial partners, YASA Motors and GE Aviation, are collaborating on a TSB-funded project to accelerate the take-up of advanced materials. Aluminium matrix composites (AMCs), when used as inserts within aluminium castings, can produce components of low weight and inertia, reduced package size and exceptional mechanical properties. However the lack of a comprehensive, validated set of computer design and analysis tools currently limits applications to simple component designs. This project will develop a new set of computer tools, enabling the industrial partners to design and manufacture complex AMC-reinforced components incorporating novel material architectures, without the need to resort to a ’make and test’ approach which results in unacceptably long product development timespans. The project will produce a step change in the number and variety of components that can benefit from the weight reduction opportunities afforded by these materials by providing industry with the tools to produce accurate predictions of component performance and optimised designs.

Two SME’s, Composite Metal Technology Ltd and C&J Antich & Sons Ltd, will bring their knowledge and skills in composite castings and technical weaving to a project with Jaguar Land Rover, to develop ground-breaking woven 3D reinforcement systems for automotive components. CO2 emissions can be directly addressed by using lightweight, low inertia materials, such as aluminium matrix composites (AMCs), which can combine the strength and stiffness of steels with the weight of aluminium. This work builds on a previous TSB project, which proved the feasibility of using AMC inserts, incorporating 3D woven fibre preforms, cast inside an aluminium component. The project will develop a suspension upright, along with design proposals for a number of other automotive components. The work will include optimisation studies for insert designs, to reduce cost and maximise functional efficiency, rendering the technology suitable for widespread adoption by the automotive industry.

This project will develop the economic case for the adoption of lightweight materials by the wind turbine industry. It will establish the financial benefits and thereby facilitate investment in the development of lightweight turbine systems and structures. The catalyst for the introduction of light weight components is aluminium matrix composite (AMC) material. Comprising aluminium reinforced with continuous alumina fibres, AMC has strength and stiffness properties that exceed those of ferrous metals, at around half the weight. The use of AMC reinforcements, or inserts, within an aluminium casting (termed AAMC) produces enhanced stiffness versus a cast iron part, with no increase in package size. The UK, and CMT in particular, is a world leader in this technology. The technical feasibility of using these advanced materials for weight reduction was established in a Northern Way funded project undertaken in 2010/11. The ‘Lightweight Turbine Gearbox Feasibility Study’ demonstrated weight savings of over 25% in gearbox cast components by replacing cast iron with AAMC. The material is suitable for application to many other turbine systems, in addition to the gearbox. An AAMC component will be more expensive than its cast iron or steel equivalent. However, by decreasing the weight of nacelle components, the costs of towers, installation and transportation will reduce, lowering the capital and operational costs of wind farms, particularly those offshore. Operational savings will be achieved via improved durability and reliability. Generation of the economic case for weight reduction must include all of these factors, analysed to identify the cumulative cost savings for the wind farm operator and the returns on investment for the system supplier and turbine manufacturer. The project will identify the system that will benefit most from the use of AAMC, in terms of weight reduction and functional improvement, so as to provide a target for future product development.

As lighter vehicles require less energy (and emit less CO2) aluminium matrix composite materials (AMCs) are increasingly attracting the attention of vehicle manufacturers. AMCs combine the strength & stiffness of steel with the lightness of aluminium, enabling components to be redesigned in lightweight material, with no increase in size or loss of performance. Composite Metal Technology Ltd (CMT) have developed a revolutionary casting process known as Advanced Liquid Pressure Forming (ALPF), which enables AMC components to be produced quickly in high volume. Antich & Sons are leaders in the area of weaving technology relevant to the manufacture of fibre reinforcements for AMC's. Jaguar Land Rover possess wide knowledge of potential application areas and performance requirements in premium automotive products as well as bringing key component performance analysis skills to the project. AMCs have wide potential in vehicle manufacture and the objective of this project is to prove engineering, manufacturing & commercial feasibility of the materials, enabling Jaguar Land Rover to declare their production readiness.