GMC member Quickstep has signed a new $1 million collaboration with Deakin University’s Institute for Intelligent Systems Research and Innovation (ISRII) and the Sovereign Manufacturing Automation for Composites CRC (SoMAC CRC) to help solve a key challenge for large scale composites production.
The initial $1m program over 12 months, funded 50-50, forms part of an anticipated multi-year development program.
Carbon fibre and other composites are increasingly becoming the ‘go to’ solution in advanced industries such as aerospace and clean technology. One of Quickstep’s strategic objectives is to make the production system more cost effective to deliver the product trifecta of ‘better, faster, cheaper’ and enable a wider application of composite technologies.
Quickstep’s proven success in research and development has allowed rapid progress in establishing the company as a leading Tier 1 manufacturer in the commercial drone market, which is in part due to the existing advanced capabilities of the business. The collaboration will assist in further developing these capabilities and help to make our Australian manufacturing operations even more competitive.
Aeroline is focused on high-rate low-cost production of complex aerostructures including complete airframes. This builds on the recent automation program developed by Quickstep for the production of F-35 flares for the US Department of Defence and will support future automation and productivity at the company’s Bankstown site as well as the existing Aeroline phase one setup used in drone programs in the Geelong facility.
Luke Preston, Quickstep’s Head of Technology and Partnerships said, “This collaboration brings together some of the best advanced manufacturing minds in Australia to make significant steps forward in simulation tools to deliver high quality solutions. It’s fantastic that we have all the research and commercialisation teams to design and manufacture innovative Advanced Air Mobility solutions all right here on the Deakin Campus”.
The collaboration with Deakin University, through the combination of 3D photorealistic digital design, complex AI driven simulations and new robotic design principles, will mature new manufacturing technologies for cutting-edge airframe design and more cost-effective manufacturing system performance.
Work will be led from Quickstep’s Geelong facilities which are located on Deakin’s Waurn Ponds Campus continuing the long-standing collaboration.
You can read the official media release and more about Quickstep here.