Collins Aerospace to establish aerospace innovation hub in Singapore to improve maintenance, repair and manufacturing capabilities

• Hub will serve to develop innovative repair development, digitalization, additive design and manufacturing, robotics, and advanced manufacturing processes.
  One of Collins Aerospace’s first additive manufacturing center outside of the U.S.

PARIS (June 17, 2019) – Collins Aerospace Systems, a unit of United Technologies Corp., (NYS: UTX), announced a strategic investment in Singapore to develop an aerospace innovation hub in the region dedicated to advanced maintenance, repair and overhaul (MRO) processes and operations, as well as additive manufacturing processes and capabilities. The innovation hub demonstrates Collins Aerospace’s commitment to developing best practices and a continued effort to digitally transform the aerospace industry.

The 15,000 square ft. innovation hub will be located at the Collins Changi MRO Campus and feature a lab for Automation, Smart Factory development and Advanced Manufacturing for deployment across Collins Aerospace. A ground breaking ceremony will be held in August and the lab is expected to be open in 1Q 2020.

This innovation hub will assist in the digitalization and automation of its current MRO and manufacturing footprint to further advance Collins Aerospace‘s lean manufacturing efforts while delivering a superior quality product to customers. Additionally, the innovation hub builds upon the company’s existing presence in the Singapore region that includes a 24-hour, 7-days a week, rotable parts exchange pool to meet customer needs. It is Collins Aerospace‘s fourth additive manufacturing lab and the first center outside the United States. This hub will also be Collins Aerospace‘s first additive facility with titanium capability and will feature prototyping, development, tooling and ultimately low-rate production of additive materials.

“We’re experiencing tremendous growth and transformation in aerospace globally, and we are focused on innovation in order to remain at the forefront of advanced methods and materials for maintenance, repair and overhaul solutions,” said Ajay Agrawal, president, Aftermarket Services, Collins Aerospace. “We are proud to collaborate with the Singapore Economic Development Board to optimize our customers’ experience through the application of new technologies this lab will produce.”

Gian Yi-Hsen, Executive Director, Conglomerates, EDB, said: “The Collins Aerospace Innovation [Hub] is an exciting addition to Singapore’s vibrant aerospace ecosystem and a new growth chapter for Collins Aerospace in Singapore. Its focus on emerging technologies like additive manufacturing underscores Singapore’s regional leadership in advanced manufacturing and innovation. With its added innovation capacity in Singapore, Collins Aerospace will be well-positioned for continued success in the region and beyond.”

“We are actively working in the field of additive design and manufacturing for aerospace applications,” states Paula Hay, Executive Director Additive Design and Manufacturing at Collins Aerospace. "We are focused on parts across a wide spectrum of materials including Aluminum, Inconel, Titanium, Copper, Nickel, as well as other special alloys. The additive lab in the Singapore innovation hub will further our additive capabilities and techniques. It’s a very exciting time for additive technology as it moves out of the research and prototyping realm and into production.”