At Collins Aerospace, we are redefining aerospace. We’re combining boundless imagination with a broad portfolio to create some of the most amazing products and services available today. And as we turn to more advanced materials, like thermoplastic composites, we’re delivering innovative aerospace products to customers every day that are lighter, safer, more efficient and environmentally friendly.

By combining thermoplastic composites with automated manufacturing processes and our unmatched expertise, we can produce complex shapes and integrated aerospace structures at lower cost and lower weight. At Collins Aerospace, we have the most comprehensive range of capabilities for processing thermoplastic composites in-house.

Fly lighter, with less fuel

Aircraft structures made with thermoplastic composites can reduce operating costs and make flight more sustainable.

Airplane in flight

We’re advancing innovative materials and breakthrough technologies to create lighter weight, more sustainable components – from the smallest brackets to even larger, complex fan cowls – to reduce the overall weight of an aircraft. And lighter means more fuel-efficient. With automated manufacturing and integrated thermoplastic composite structures, we can help you fly lighter – and shape a more sustainable future along the way.

Tool Making

  • Single or multi-action stamp forming tools, depending on part complexity and dimensional requirements
  • Consolidation, stamp forming and trim tools, up to a length of three meters
  • Matched metal tools made from aluminum or steel

Slitting

  • Slit 12” tapes into 2”, 4”or 6” tapes
  • Inline quality inspection
  • Automated tape repair patching
Automated tape laying

Automated Tape Laying

  • Automated flat panel lamination up to 6 x 2 meters
  • Continuous ultrasonic tacking
  • Near net shape tailored blanks

Automated Fiber Placement

  • Static and rotation molds up to a length of six meters
  • Eight tows
  • Available in 2022

Press Consolidation

  • Consolidation of flat laminates and tailored blanks up to 400°C
  • Thickness variations through ply drops
  • Maximum dimensions: 57” x 26”

Continuous Compression Molding

  • Consolidation of flat laminates and profiles up to 400°C
  • Unlimited length, width 24”
Nesting

Automated Nesting / 2D Blank Trimming

  • Advanced software for static and dynamic nesting
  • Efficient use of material by reducing Buy-to-Fly ratios
  • Maximum size 1.2 x 3.6 meters
Stampforming

Stamp Forming

  • 50-300 tons
  • Preheat TP blanks by infrared ovens
  • High rate stamp forming
  • Part length up to 1.5 meters

CNC Milling

  • 5-axis CNC milling and drilling
  • Two beds for simultaneous machining and part change
  • Automated loading and unloading

Welding

  • Multi degree-of-freedom induction welding cell for complex continuous joints
  • Specialized conduction welding tooling and patent-pending process for joining stiffener segments

CMM Inspection

  • CNC controlled CMM
  • NADCAP qualified

NDI Inspection

  • Manual and automated NDI inspection
  • A- and C-scan
  • NADCAP qualified

Finish

  • Edge seal
  • Grit blast, primer and top coat

Contacts