NASA, in partnership with the Advanced Composites Consortium, convened at its Langley Research Center in Hampton, Virginia, from April 29 to May 1, 2025, as part of the Hi-Rate Composite Aircraft Manufacturing (HiCAM) project. Delegates from 22 organizations across both public and private sectors gathered to discuss strategies aimed at increasing the production rate, lowering costs, and improving the performance of composite aircraft manufacturing. 

The team members also discussed the results of the Technology Development Phase of the HiCAM project, which focuses on evaluating various manufacturing concepts and technologies at the subcomponent level while assessing their potential to significantly impact production efficiency and cost reduction. Over the next four years, the most promising technologies will be demonstrated on full-scale wing and fuselage components. 

By bringing together cutting-edge technologies and shared investment, the project is poised to drive down the cost of composite manufacturing, benefiting both aircraft operators and the commercial aviation industry. The partnership will not only improve the competitiveness of the U.S. aerospace industry but also help in advancing sustainability through the minimization of production waste and total energy efficiency of the production process. 

Source: www.nasa.gov