WICHITA, Kan., June 18, 2019 /PRNewswire/ -- Spirit
AeroSystems [NYSE: SPR] today announced it is transitioning recent
research breakthroughs from the laboratory to its factory. The
Joule Form™ process, which Spirit developed, is a new proprietary
method for forming titanium raw material at elevated temperatures
in the fabrication of aerospace components. This method provides
the company a competitive advantage in the use of titanium, a
highly desirable material thanks to its combination of strength and
light weight.
"We are the first in the aerospace industry to use this
high-tech solution. The implementation of the Joule
FormTM process allows for more advanced production of
titanium parts, such as those on Spirit's propulsion, fuselage and
wing products," said Spirit AeroSystems Senior Vice President and
Chief Technology and Quality Officer John
Pilla. "This approach offers a host of benefits that
ultimately reduce costs and drive greater efficiencies."
The Joule FormTM process allows Spirit to form parts
out of titanium plates rather than relying on machining large
blocks of titanium. This significantly reduces waste and decreases
the amount of machining, further enhancing Spirit's
competitiveness. The process was internally developed as part of
one of Spirit's key research focus areas, the Lean Metallic
Structures Distinctive Capability.
"This emerging manufacturing improvement can replace more
expensive techniques," said Kevin
Matthies, Spirit's senior vice president of Global
Fabrication. "We want to build high-quality products in a
cost-effective way. This is a great example of improving a process
to better serve our customers."
Joule Form™ technology can be used on aircraft components that
are machined from plates or forgings, specifically on materials
that are hard to machine and expensive to procure (like titanium
and steel alloys). This could significantly increase the buy-to-fly
ratio for detail parts.
On the web: www.spiritaero.com
On Twitter: @SpiritAero
About Spirit AeroSystems
Spirit AeroSystems
designs and builds aerostructures for both commercial and defense
customers. With headquarters in Wichita,
Kansas, Spirit operates sites in the U.S., U.K.,
France and Malaysia. The company's core products include
fuselages, pylons, nacelles and wing components for the world's
premier aircraft. Spirit AeroSystems focuses on affordable,
innovative composite and aluminum manufacturing solutions to
support customers around the globe. More information is available
at www.spiritaero.com.
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SOURCE Spirit AeroSystems Inc.