en.Wedoany.com Reported - The University of Sheffield Advanced Manufacturing Research Centre (AMRC) has officially opened a £54 million open-access research and development facility, named "Composites at Speed and Scale (COMPASS)," designed to provide next-generation manufacturing capabilities for future aerospace production. Boeing has become the facility's first user, with the inauguration ceremony held on July 16, bringing together representatives from industry, government, and academia.
The COMPASS facility aims to de-risk and accelerate the realization of high-rate, large-scale composite production by simulating real production rates and scales, and is seen as a key step in driving UK economic growth and securing the long-term future of the aerospace manufacturing sector. With global aircraft demand at an all-time high, requiring an estimated over 40,000 aircraft in the next 20 years, UK industry is seeking a larger share of the multi-billion-pound aerospace export market. As a national infrastructure, COMPASS aims to unlock the capabilities needed for the UK to manufacture large aircraft structures faster and more efficiently.
Professor Ben Morgan, CEO of the University of Sheffield AMRC, stated that COMPASS offers a world-leading capability, built on two decades of AMRC's industrially relevant composite and automation research. To secure the UK's position as a leading aerospace manufacturing nation, it is essential to de-risk new technologies at scale; this facility will unlock jobs, attract investment, and drive economic growth. He described the project as a true collaborative effort, thanking the Aerospace Technology Institute (ATI) Programme, the South Yorkshire Mayoral Combined Authority, the High Value Manufacturing Catapult, and the University of Sheffield, as well as technology and research partners Loop and Boeing.
Boeing, as the first user of this open-access facility, has launched its largest-ever research project in the UK—the Isothermal High-rate Sustainable Structures (IHSS) project. Funded by the ATI Programme, this project aims to reduce large component manufacturing time from approximately 40 hours to just 4 hours. Lane Ballard, Boeing's Chief Technology Officer, stated that the IHSS project demonstrates how advanced composites, automation, and digital technologies can enable high-rate, large-scale production that supports high-value manufacturing jobs. Boeing is committed to the UK's workforce, supply chain, and manufacturing ecosystem, translating initiatives like IHSS into scalable production capabilities.
The IHSS project is dedicated to developing and testing new technologies needed to meet future demand for lighter commercial aircraft and to help the aviation industry achieve its commitment to net-zero emissions by 2050. This project builds on Boeing's long-term commitment to the UK, following the opening of its first European manufacturing facility in Sheffield in 2018. Loop Technology is a key partner in the COMPASS facility and the IHSS project, with its innovative FibreLINE robotic preforming system enabling ultra-high-rate composite manufacturing. Loop Technology also serves as the facility's robotic systems integrator, ensuring all equipment is seamlessly integrated and operates as a fully sequenced end-to-end manufacturing solution. Alun Reece, CEO of Loop Technology, stated that since the project's initial conception in 2019, all partners have demonstrated vision and dedication, and this milestone brings them a significant step closer to their goal of manufacturing composite aircraft structures at greater speed and scale.
To meet global production targets and achieve net-zero goals, manufacturing must move beyond traditional manual processes. COMPASS reduces material waste, component weight, and defects while optimizing cycle times by combining advanced composites with Industry 4.0 digital technologies, including closed-loop machine vision and digital twin modeling. The facility validates capabilities at Technology Readiness Level (TRL) 6, de-risking high-rate manufacturing and removing the high-cost barrier of advanced industrial equipment for UK companies, including SMEs. The state-of-the-art equipment within the facility is funded by a £29.5 million grant from the ATI Programme.
Core equipment at the COMPASS facility includes a resin transfer moulding (RTM) press from Langzauner, the world's largest press for monolithic aircraft structural components, with a pressing force of 2,400 tonnes and tool dimensions up to 10 meters by 3 meters. This unit operates adjacent to a 21.4-meter-long Zünd cutting table, equipped with an automated FibreLINE deposition system developed by Loop Technology. Two 5-meter-long FibreFORM grippers are mounted on two FANUC industrial robots for handling sensitive materials, assisted by three additional FANUC robots, with the entire robot fleet running along an 85-meter track, dynamically adjusting using real-time sensor data. Innovations developed at the facility will be applied in defense, renewable energy, transportation, and urban air mobility. The facility's construction was supported by core funding from the South Yorkshire Mayoral Combined Authority (SYMCA), Sheffield City Council, the University of Sheffield, and the High Value Manufacturing (HVM) Catapult.
Gary Elliott, CEO of the Aerospace Technology Institute (ATI), stated that the University of Sheffield AMRC has a proud record of providing cutting-edge support to the aerospace industry, and COMPASS further advances this goal. With support from the ATI Programme, it provides a world-leading open-access facility for UK composite technology innovation, supporting the ambition to double the UK's aerospace market value by 2035, with the significant opportunities presented by composites driving jobs and growth nationwide.
