Grants and Contributions:

Grant or Award spanning more than one fiscal year (2017-2018 to 2022-2023).

In order to remain competitive, there is a need for the Canadian aerospace industry to reduce its manufacturingx000D
costs, whilst adding durability and energy efficiency to its products. In this regard the industry has in recentx000D
years placed particular emphasis on carbon fiber composites. These materials whilst satisfying all structuralx000D
considerations resulting in enhanced durability and reduced weight have traditionally however not competedx000D
well in terms of manufacturing costs. Recently new automated manufacturing processes such as Automatedx000D
Fiber Placement (AFP) have shown significant promise in composite manufacturing cost reduction and muchx000D
research has been carried out resulting in extensive application to recent major platforms such as the Boeingx000D
787 Dreamliner. Though AFP processing of thermoset matrix materials has provided significant manufacturingx000D
cost reduction, there remain further gains to be achieved should the processing be extended to thermoplasticx000D
matrix materials. Here it is possible to consolidate material directly on to the tool face with no requirement forx000D
autoclave post processing and this combined with other specialist thermoplastic processing such asx000D
thermo-stamping and thermo-forming promises significant further cost reductions.The overall objective of thisx000D
Industrial Research Chair (IRC) is therefore to develop novel scientific and technical know-how relating to thex000D
ACM of primary aerospace structures with a special focus on thermoplastic matrix materials. The automationx000D
is based on robotic systems conducive with the emerging cyber physical system developments in the aircraftx000D
industry and "Factory of the Future" composite primary structure manufacture. Graduate students employed inx000D
this program will be provided with an exceptional level of experience at the facilities of both Concordia andx000D
Bell Helicopter Textron Canada Ltd., so that they may enter the workforce with the skills required to exploitx000D
the developed technologies and derived tools to strengthen the position of the Canadian aerospace industry inx000D
the global market place.