Fibre reinforced Metal Matrix Composites have extensive applications in high growth industrial sectors such as space and aerospace which are key to the UK's economic growth and industrial strategy for exports. These lightweight materials offer 30% weight savings in direct replacement parts and up to 70% weight saving where system designs can be optimised. The UK has a strong history in the technology and the core supply chain from raw materials to final products.

TISICS is the only integrated fibre and metal composite manufacturer worldwide and has extensive experience in developing component and process technologies for a wide range of applications including:
-Aero-engines: Lighter, higher operating temperature components reduce fuel burn and hence CO2 emissions.
-Aircraft landing gear: Lighter, higher stiffness gear reduces fuel burn and titanium composites offer an alternative to chrome or cadmium plated steels. 30% potential weight saving equates to 340 tonnes CO2 per year per single aisle or over 2 million tonnes across the world fleet per year.
-Satellite pressure vessel: lighter, near net shape propellant and pressurant tanks reduce system mass and half lead time which will be advantageous for constellation satellites.
-Space robotics and structures: Lighter, more compact systems are key to space exploration and in-space servicing.
-Energy: Lighter, more robust steam turbines will increase energy generation efficiency, reducing emissions.
-Automotive: in the longer term with high production volume economics, MMCs offer lighter systems capable of reducing emissions from combustion engines or range extension for electric vehicles.

In order to industrialise this technology significant development is required to address automation of each stage of the manufacturing process. Automation will be a combination of mechanisation of systems, digital sensors for process control and in-process monitoring alongside artificial-intelligence and machine learning to provide optimised design and processing rules for components. Manufacture of safety critical components for space and aerospace will require robust in-process monitoring and recording where any embedded defects would be challenging and costly to inspect and resolve at the end of line. TISICS will ensure the development is aligned to customer product assurance needs.

TISICS will work with The University of Manchester and Derby University to develop this technology. This builds on existing research activity with both Universities and enables TISICS access to world class researchers and cutting edge research equipment beyond the reach of an SME. The. Growth of MMC technology will be accelerated through greater University research and this experience feeds into teaching programmes to train engineers for the future. The research links between the Universities and TISICS to Industrial Primes such as Airbus and Rolls-Royce will help their uptake of these materials in the future as the technology is transitioned into industrial supply chains.

The project builds on 30 years composite experience and recent successes automating the fibre production processes at TISICS. This project helps maintain the UK at the forefront of advanced materials development and industrialisation, thereby accelerating the introduction of lighter materials and hence reductions in emissions for the future.

Potential Impact:
Fibre reinforced Metal Matrix Composites have extensive applications in high growth industrial sectors such as space and aerospace which are key to the UK's economic growth and industrial strategy for exports. These lightweight materials offer 30% weight savings in direct replacement parts and up to 70% weight saving where system designs can be optimised. The UK has a strong history in the technology and the core supply chain from raw materials to final products.

MMC technology and net shape manufacture is recognised as adding value to products and competitive advantage mitigating any additional process costs. This has the potential to re-shore products currently manufactured abroad, where MMCs are not available and ensure competitive advantage for UK producers offering exploitable benefits to their customers.

TISICS is the only integrated fibre and metal composite manufacturer worldwide and has extensive experience in developing component and process technologies for a wide range of applications including:

- Aero-engines: Lighter, higher operating temperature components reduce fuel burn.
- Aircraft landing gear: Lighter, higher stiffness gear reduces fuel burn and titanium composites offer an alternative to chrome or cadmium plated steels.
- Satellite pressure vessel: lighter, near net shape propellant and pressurant tanks reduce system mass and half lead time which will be advantageous for constellation satellites.
- Space robotics and structures: Lighter, more compact systems are key to space exploration and in-space servicing.
- Energy: Lighter, more robust steam turbines will increase energy generation efficiency, reducing emissions.
- Automotive: in the longer term with high production volume economics, MMCs offer lighter systems capable of reducing emissions from combustion engines or range extension for electric vehicles.