Pioneering R&D project under way in Prestwick

A “groundbreaking” R&D project in Prestwick claiming to be the first in the UK has launched. It could see components from wind turbine blades to car panels become much faster and more cost-effective to manufacture.

The initiative involves Spirit Aerosystems working with the University of Strathclyde, and supported by Censis, the Scottish Innovation Centre for Sensor and Imaging Systems, which provided £50,000 of funding as well as projectmanagement and monitoring expertise.

It is hoped that the venture could cut operating costs by up to half and cycle times by up to 40 per cent.

Craig Fleming, business development manager at Censis, said: “This project has the ability to change the way a range of high-value components are manufactured – it’s a groundbreaking initiative. The collaboration between Spirit Aerosystems and the University of Strathclyde demonstrates what can be achieved when Scotland’s world-class academic institutions and industrial base work together.”