en.Wedoany.com Reported - Hexcel, a global advanced composites company, is building the Hexcel Application Center within the National Institute for Aviation Research (NIAR) at Wichita State University in Kansas, USA. The groundbreaking of this center marks a significant deepening of the long-term collaboration between Hexcel and NIAR, as both parties work together to advance composite material technology, automated processing techniques, and innovations in aerospace manufacturing.
Hexcel specializes in materials science and application development, while NIAR is a leader in advanced manufacturing, automated composite processing, and advanced material property characterization. Hexcel operates three centers that together form a complete production chain: early-stage material innovation and application development take place at the company's application laboratory in Salt Lake City, Utah; subsequently, at Hexcel's new Wichita center, customers can access a range of automated composite manufacturing equipment and processing expertise within the NIAR ecosystem; final structural construction and validation activities are completed at Hexcel's facility in Kent, Washington, which specializes in composite structural component production and is capable of manufacturing and evaluating full-scale products.
Tom Gentile, Chairman, CEO, and President of Hexcel, stated that this investment represents a critical step for the company in supporting aerospace and defense customers, from material innovation to advanced manufacturing and structural realization. By combining Hexcel's expertise in materials science and application development with NIAR's world-class automated processing capabilities, an ecosystem is being created that can accelerate innovation and deliver practical, manufacturable solutions to customers.
John Tomblin, Executive Vice President for Research, Industry, and Defense Programs at Wichita State University (WSU) and Executive Director of NIAR, noted that the Hexcel Application Center at NIAR will bring together world-class expertise, capabilities, and technologies in a collaborative environment. This partnership will significantly enhance the resources available to aerospace and defense customers, enabling them to develop, scale, and validate advanced composite solutions using next-generation manufacturing technologies.
The collaboration between Hexcel and NIAR aims to provide customers with a seamless, end-to-end composite development pathway. Located within NIAR's Advanced Technologies Laboratory for Aerospace Systems (ATLAS), this new center further solidifies Kansas's position as a global hub for aerospace research, design, and manufacturing. U.S. Senator Jerry Moran stated that Wichita has long been a center of innovation and a global leader in aerospace and defense manufacturing. The groundbreaking of the new Hexcel Application Center at Wichita State University is a significant milestone that further cements Wichita's status as the Air Capital of the World. He commended Hexcel's decision to partner with NIAR and invest in the local workforce, highlighting the important role Kansans play in shaping the future of aerospace and national security.
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