In the city of Gloucester (Hardwicke) Advanced Composites Manufacturing Enterprise is officially opened (ACMA) - the first enterprise in Great Britain for the production of advanced space composites. Project, headed by iCOMAT, which is a spin-off from the University of Bristol, has a cost of £8.2 million and is partly funded by the UK Space Agency (UK Space Agency) через Space Clusters Infrastructure Fund, which provided £4.8 million. The initiative should create a close 2 000 highly skilled jobs and to strengthen the position of Great Britain in the field of advanced space technologies.
A technological breakthrough in the production of spacecraft
Enterprise area 45 000 square feet equipped with fully automated production lines, that use the patented Rapid Tow Shearing technology (RTS). This innovation allows you to create lighter, stronger and more economical composite structures, which is critically important for rocket and space technology, where every gram of mass counts. RTS also contributes to increasing the environmental sustainability and energy efficiency of new generations of spacecraft.
The plant is located in the Western Gateway region, which ensures the integration of scientific research, engineering design and industrial production within the growing British space ecosystem. The project was implemented with the support of the European Space Agency (THIS) through the General Support Technology Program, which emphasizes long-term European cooperation in the development of materials science.
ACMA's Center of Advanced Manufacturing includes two specialized RTS lines:
- 2D-RTS, designed for the production of flat and complex panels (example, housings of satellites and substrates of solar batteries),
- 3D-RTS, focused on creating curved components, in particular, fuel tanks for the upper stages of rockets.
These technologies make it possible to produce details of complex geometry, which were previously considered too time-consuming or expensive for mass production.
The production complex operates on the principle of open access, which allows scientific institutions and industrial partners to test new designs, improve existing systems and integrate RTS into own production processes. This approach accelerates innovation and disseminates advanced engineering solutions in the industry.
Expanding the capabilities of the space economy
In addition to the space sector, ACMA technologies can be used in the aviation and automotive industries, expanding the scope of application of British developments in high-tech industries. The opening of this enterprise is an important stage in the implementation of the national strategy for the development of the space economy, aimed at strengthening the internal supply chain and increasing the competitiveness of Great Britain in the world market.
The support of the UK Space Agency and the participation of industrial partners make ACMA a benchmark example of the combination of innovation, scientific cooperation and industrial modernization, which defines new standards in the production of high-performance materials for space missions and technologies of the future.
Source: https://techfundingnews.com