The Advanced Materials Show Connectivity Series: Aerospace
Tuesday, 21 September 2021
The last 70 years has been a period of exponential growth for the aerospace industry specifically within the US, which has become the global leader with a highly educated and skilled workforce, leading technology and innovation backed by strong support from the government and policies. 1903 was the birth year of the industry in the US when the first motor-operated aeroplane was created and flown by the Wright brothers, Wilbur and Orville, creating a space for aviation possibilities.
When the aerospace industry began to take hold, it had primarily relied on aluminium. Aluminium made up 70% of aircraft manufacturing because of its cheap, effective and lightweight properties. This has now become partially outdated due to current advanced material manufacturing capabilities and now as little as 20% of aircrafts use aluminium as a component. This is mainly due to the need for greater fuel efficiency and sustainability being at the forefront of the manufacturing industry. Lightweighting is also seen as a strong solution to reduce operational costs as well as reduce greenhouse emissions. Raytheon technologies, Boeing, Lockheed Martin, General Dynamics, Northrop Grumman and the Aerospace Industries Association are all based in North America creating a powerhouse of aerospace innovation.
Advanced materials play a vital role in the future of the aerospace industry with a strong push for higher temperature resistant materials as we look to travel further and at greater heights. We have also seen graphene used in resins to boost electrical conductivity, metal-matrix composites due to their high tensile strength, carbon fibre reinforcements, nanoparticles; the list goes on for technical developments.
2021 is the year for aerospace technological innovation and development globally and some examples are:
- Supersonic speeds are set to make a comeback to aviation by 2029 as Airline United has announced plans to buy 15 new supersonic airliners.
- Lockheed Martins announced its completion of the construction of an advanced manufacturing facility that has the capability to support IOT and smart manufacturing.
- A major milestone was achieved by ZeroAvia-led project backed by the UK Government with its HyFlyer II program a hydrogen-electric powered aircraft.
The Advanced Materials Show USA is a dedicated show for end users, product developers, OEM’s and the entire material manufacturing supply chain. Those who visit will have a shared focus on seeking the latest materials, innovations and technology and will find new products, suppliers and partners all under one roof. Featured exhibitors include THINFILMS, Inc their core business continues to be sputter coating services, while electron beam evaporation, ion milling, photo-lithography and thin film fabrication/component manufacturing services are also offered.
Alongside the exhibition, we have a world-class conference program including a session on ‘Developing Composites and Polymers for a More Sustainable Aerospace Sector’ which covers the sustainability challenges for aerospace composites and polymers in the face of increased climate change pressures. Another session also covers ‘Do advanced materials stand to enable electric flight and which materials show the greatest promise?’
For more information visit www.advancedmaterialsshowusa.com
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The Advanced Materials Show USA
October 13th – 14th 2021