AIC to upgrade systems on 40m autoclave
One of the autoclaves measures 8.5m in diameter and 40m in length, which presents unique challenges to ensure even heating and cooling, and is used for curing complete composite wings. The other measures 3.5m x 12m.
Both of the autoclaves are 13 years old and some of their components are obsolete, so they need to be upgraded to ensure reliability of production. The Japanese aerospace company make 12 sets of wings per month, with each wing costing $2.5m, so the company cannot afford any unnecessary downtime.
The larger of the two autoclaves is big enough to house the entire wing span of a Boeing 787 Dreamliner.
Jamie Hardiment, AIC’s head of business development, said: “Autoclaves are essential for manufacturers in the aerospace industry. We are taking two standard use autoclaves and making them as good as new by upgrading many of the features and adding our AMCS, which will increase productivity, enabling our customer to more efficiently produce aerospace wings and other composite parts.”