Bangor’s Denroy Plastics leads three-year £3.4m aerospace industry project

Northern Ireland firm Denroy Plastics is leading a team on a three-year, £3.8million project aimed at furthering the innovative use of thermoplastic composites in aerospace applications.
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Based in Bangor, Denroy is one of the world’s leading innovators in the design and manufacture of engineered polymer components and solutions which are vital to the aviation industry as they provide structural strength and superior physical properties.

As part of the project, the firm is collaborating with Spirit Aerosystems and the Northern Ireland Technology Centre (NITC) at Queen’s University Belfast to explore the processes and design techniques necessary to create thermoplastic structural parts for aircraft wings and other critical areas.

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Under the scheme, they also aim to increase their capacity to innovate, increase productivity and enhance the skills of the workforce, strengthening their world class offering.

Gareth Deering, Denroy commercial manager, Dr Sean Black, Spirit senior vice president and chief engineer, engineering and research & development, Dr John F. Rainey, Denroy chairman, Cindy Hoover, Spirit vice president, Defense & Space Engr. /R&T/Core Engr, Kevin McNamee, Denroy CEOGareth Deering, Denroy commercial manager, Dr Sean Black, Spirit senior vice president and chief engineer, engineering and research & development, Dr John F. Rainey, Denroy chairman, Cindy Hoover, Spirit vice president, Defense & Space Engr. /R&T/Core Engr, Kevin McNamee, Denroy CEO
Gareth Deering, Denroy commercial manager, Dr Sean Black, Spirit senior vice president and chief engineer, engineering and research & development, Dr John F. Rainey, Denroy chairman, Cindy Hoover, Spirit vice president, Defense & Space Engr. /R&T/Core Engr, Kevin McNamee, Denroy CEO

Gareth Deering, Denroy commercial sales manager, said: “Denroy has always had a focus on innovation so we are thrilled to be leading this project at the cutting edge of thermoplastic technology. With the aerospace industry’s increased focus on sustainability, lightweighting and cost as well as a need for faster methods of manufacturing we expect to continue to see a significant move to thermoplastic composites by OEMs over the next five-10 years.

“Denroy plans to be front and centre in that move as the go-to expert on thermoplastic component manufacture. The hybrid moulding technology at the centre of this project is particularly exciting because it combines Denroy’s 50 years of expertise in injection moulding with the company’s capabilities in thermoplastic composites.

“The materials, stress and design work we are doing, and ultimately putting parts made from composite overmoulding to the test in some very harsh test conditions, will enable us to prove out the technology’s viability for critical structural applications.”

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Denroy’s passion to enhance the performance of commercial and military aircraft is constantly driving the development of improved high performance structural materials. Composite materials are one such class of materials that play a significant role in current and future aerospace components.

The project is being funded through the Aerospace Technology Institute.

The High Performance Thermoplastic Structural OverMoulding for the Aerospace Industry, “SOMA” project is supported by the ATI Programme, a joint Government and industry investment to maintain and grow the UK’s competitive position in civil aerospace design and manufacture. The programme, delivered through a partnership between the Aerospace Technology Institute (ATI), Department for Business, Energy & Industrial Strategy (BEIS) and Innovate UK, addresses technology, capability and supply chain challenges