UTC Aerospace Systems, Windsor Locks, Conn., has opened an $8 million, 20,000 ft2 state-of-the-art Materials and Process Engineering laboratory to support research, engineering, and production of advanced materials for aerospace applications. Lab capabilities include additive manufacturing to build metal and plastic parts. The lab will develop high-temperature materials such as carbon-carbon and silicon carbide-based composites for applications such as aircraft brakes. The lab will also focus on nanomaterials to develop light-weight metal-matrix and polymer-matrix composites for a variety of applications across UTC Aerospace Systems.
UTC Aerospace Systems also announces establishment of the Materials Engineering Center of Excellence at the University of Connecticut (UCONN). The agreement includes a five-year, million-dollar commitment to work with UCONN in the areas of additive manufacturing, high-temperature composites, thermoplastics, and other advanced materials. UTC Aerospace Systems will provide opportunities to rising UCONN sophomores and juniors to work in the new MPE lab and learn alongside UTC Aerospace Systems engineers and scientists in the areas of materials and manufacturing technologies for future aircraft.
“We are very excited about the new MPE lab, which will transform the way engineers and scientists collaborate to produce innovative solutions using a spectrum of material and manufacturing combinatorial techniques,” said Mun Choi, Provost at the University of Connecticut. “The Center of Excellence we’ve established will provide our students with a unique learning experience by working in the lab with talented engineers.”
UTC Aerospace Systems designs, manufactures and services integrated systems and components for the aerospace and defense industries. UTC Aerospace Systems supports a global customer base, with significant worldwide manufacturing and customer service facilities.
