FutureFlight
Solvay and GKN Step Up Work on Thermoplastic Materials and Manufacturing Processes
The partners want to be able to support high-volume manufacturing of electric aircraft.
Solvay and Wichita State University's National Institute for Aviation Research jointly operate the Manufacturing Innovation Center.
Solvay and Wichita State University's National Institute for Aviation Research work together in the Manufacturing Innovation Center. (Image: Solvay)

Solvay and GKN Aerospace have extended their collaboration to develop thermoplastic composite (TPC) materials and manufacturing processes to make aerostructures. Both companies are suppliers to new eVTOL vehicles, such as Vertical Aerospace's  VX4 model, as well as supporting multiple other civil and military aircraft programs.

Over the past six years, Solvay and GKN have achieved technical breakthroughs such as combining TPC and a one-shot manufacturing process to develop a lighter and more competitively priced wing rib and using automated fiber placement for the first time on fuselage panels. Solvay is a preferred TPC supplier for GKN.