GKN Aerospace designs and produces a wide range of fuselage, wing
and flight control surface assemblies and components, using composite and
metallic technologies.
With over 40 years experience in composites, its market position is
maintained through its four composite manufacturing facilities in Europe and
North America and the Company's continuing commitment to development work in
manufacturing processes, materials and tooling methods.
Components produced range from simple detail components through to large
structures featuring integrated stiffening, manufactured by one-shot autoclave
processing. All facilities undertake assembly and sub-assembly work. Examples
of products include doors and covers, wing surfaces and components and fuselage
sub-assemblies.
GKN Aerospace companies possess all the key composite fabrication
processes.Through its commitment to developing technology, the Company now has
a leading market position in RTM and continues to develop technologies for
advancing the business. Resin Film Infusion (RFI) is one such technology.
The machining centres in St. Louis and Munich have the capability
to machine large complex monolithic parts from a range of materials. Key
processes include milling, reaming and boring with high speed machining being
its core competency.
A range of technologies is employed to fabricate complex sheet metal and
extruded products in titanium and other exotic hard to form metals. Processes
include forming, superplastic forming (SPF) and diffusion bonding.
Metal fabrication using chemical milling techniques is used by GKN
Aerospace Chem-tronics to produce airframe components including doors,
bulkheads and keels.This technique offers weight and parts count reductions and
cost benefits over alternative fabrication methods.
GKN Aerospace companies produce metallic structures and
sub-assemblies for a range of aircraft and helicopters, including the
completed forward fuselage for the AgustaWestland Lynx helicopter. Other
structures and components include engine pylon fairings, fuselage tailcones,
together with doors, panels and fairings.
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