GKN Aerospace was seeking to manufacture the first demonstrator wing components for its Airbus’ ”Wing of tomorrow” research programme. The parts would be samples of a section of the wing spar, representing new technology that would significantly improve the productivity of the composite manufacturing process. The use of composite components can result in up to 20% weight savings on large commercial aircraft.

GKN Aerospace needed an expert in engineering to manufacture the unique 20m fixture that the composite wing would be built onto. It struggled to find anyone with the right capabilities and experience to deliver to the exacting requirements – very exacting tolerances needed (built to 15 microns of the design specifications) and short timescales.