This from The Australian….
Quickstep innovation prepares for take-off
Steve Creedy
March 30, 2007
AN innovative composites manufacturing process developed by Perth-based Quickstep Holdings could be used for the large-scale manufacture of aerospace parts as early as next year.
The company is establishing a new testing and manufacturing facility in Munich, Germany, and says talks on a co-operation and development agreement with “a leading European-based aircraft manufacturer” are expected to produce an announcement by May.
The talks, reportedly with Airbus, come as Quickstep has also established a technology advisory board to accelerate the commercialisation of the company’s process, a new alternative to the traditional way of producing composite parts.
The board is headed by a composites expert and former senior Airbus executive Andrew Walker.
Quickstep chairman Mark Jenkins said the Munich operation would allow the aircraft manufacturer’s experts to examine the company’s liquid-cured manufacturing system.
Mr Jenkins said Quickstep was already bidding on parts and was working towards aircraft certification.
“It’s about engagement and showing them what Quickstep can do,” he said.
Quickstep is well placed to capitalise on a switch by aircraft manufacturers to composite materials, which are lighter than traditional metal parts.
Mr Jenkins said this change meant there was not enough autoclave capacity to meet demand.
“And autoclaves are big and bulky … so they need an alternative and we’re a leading contender,” he said.
The science behind Quickstep was also fundamentally better than traditional methods, Mr Jenkins said.
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