CCP Gransden Advanced Composites, the University of Sheffield Advanced Manufacturing Research Centre (AMRC) and Sigmatex have joined forces to develop an integrated manufacturing approach for thermoplastic composite aerospace structures. The two-year collaborative programme, named OPTIMA (Optimisation of Thermoplastic Composites Manufacturing with Intelligent Automation), aims to address barriers between material innovation and industrial-scale production.
Supported through the Aerospace Technology Institute (ATI) SME Programme and Innovate UK, the initiative will combine material development, textile manufacturing and production-scale processing. Its focus is on improving manufacturing rates, process consistency and material recyclability to support the aerospace industry's demand for more efficient and sustainable structures.
The programme will investigate tailored thermoplastic tapes and woven fabrics designed for faster processing, improved design flexibility and recyclability. It will also integrate intelligent automation, machine learning, inline monitoring and process optimisation to support higher-volume production. A further workstream will develop Digital Product Passports to connect material provenance, manufacturing information, inspection records and lifecycle data.
AMRC will lead the development of bespoke thermoplastic unidirectional (UD) tapes using its dual-mode thermoplastic processing line. Its work will also include modelling and simulation to optimise material performance and manufacturability. Sigmatex will convert the tapes into engineered woven fabric architectures suitable for rapid forming into composite structures, while investigating inline monitoring and adaptive process control.
As project lead, CCP Gransden will use the developed materials to manufacture aerospace demonstrator components at its high-rate manufacturing cell. The facility features a 1,100-tonne ENGEL V-duo platform and is designed to support production-scale thermoplastic composite processing. The programme will assess how automation and manufacturing process control can deliver the quality, consistency and production rates required for future aerospace applications.
Digital Product Passports will be created for each demonstrator component, capturing information across material development, fabric production and component manufacturing. This digital thread is intended to improve supply-chain traceability and provide lifecycle visibility, supporting data-driven manufacturing decisions.
Beverly Stewart, Project OPTIMA Lead Engineer at CCP Gransden, said: “OPTIMA gives us a valuable opportunity to look at thermoplastic composite manufacturing from start to finish, something that is often difficult to achieve within a single project. This collaborative approach will help us better understand the barriers to adoption and demonstrate practical solutions that support the future of aerospace manufacturing.”
The programme is expected to strengthen UK capabilities in advanced thermoplastic composites by connecting material suppliers, textile manufacturers and component producers within a single development framework. Its findings could support wider adoption of automated thermoplastic composite manufacturing in future aerospace structures.
Source: CCP Gransden Advanced Composites | News
