CompositesWorld
Issue link: https://cw.epubxp.com/i/632301
FEBRUARY 2016 46 CompositesWorld Spirit AeroSystems: Prestwick, Scotland, UK Global aerostructures giant Spirit AeroSystems ventures into out-of- autoclave composites manufacturing via vacuum infusion. » Although Spirit AeroSystems is a relatively new name in aerospace, having been founded in 2005 with the acquisition of the Te Boeing Co.'s (Chicago, IL, US) facilities in Wichita, KS, US, it acquired with them a long and note- worthy history, going back almost 90 years. Te earliest incarnation goes back to 1927, with the Stearman Aircraft Co., which moved to Wichita from the US state of California. Stearman was then purchased in 1928 by Boeing, and the site went on to produce some of Boeing's most famous aircraft, including the B-29 Superfortress bomber, the B-47 Stratojet and the B-52 Stratofortress. Following the founding of the new company in 2005, Spirit went on in 2006 to acquire another established aerostructures business unit, this one from BAE Systems (London, UK) in Prestwick, Scotland, UK. Te European opera- tion is now one of the largest airframe suppliers to Airbus — in particular, major wing structures. Spirit has gone on to expand its business globally, with locations in Malaysia, France and North Carolina, US. Spirit AeroSystems cele- brated its 10 th anniversary in 2015. Autoclave to OOA Te capacity of the company's operation in composite aerostructure manu- facture is immense. Spirit operates 35 autoclaves to produce some of the By David Inston / Contributing Writer Spirit AeroSystems Prestwick: Oversight of OOA Wichita, KS, US-based Spirit AeroSystems' Advanced Technology Centre in Prestwick, Scotland, UK is the focal point for the aerospace manufac- turer's promising exploration of vacuum-infusion-centered out-of-autoclave processing. Source (all photos) | Spirit AeroSystems