This incredible new
facility exemplifies our
commitment to creating
cleaner, more efficient
forms of power.
The facility will focus on carbon-fibre
composites, which are used in the
aerospace industry to reduce weight
significantly. The lighter an engine is, the
less fuel it burns, creating fewer emissions. A
Rolls-Royce fan system made with carbon-
fibre composites can save almost 700kg per
aircraft, the equivalent of seven passengers
and their luggage.
The fan blades are made by manufacturing
techniques that build up hundreds of
layers of carbon-fibre materials, pre-filled
with state-of-the-art toughness-enhanced
resin material. Heat and pressure are then
applied, and each blade is finished with
a thin titanium leading edge, which offers
extreme protection against erosion, foreign
objects and bird strikes.
It will benefit from manufacturing techniques
that have been developed in partnership
with the National Composites Centre in
Bristol, and research conducted at the Rolls-
Royce University Technology Centre at the
University of Bristol, as well as several other
universities and research centres based in
the UK and in Europe.
The facility has secured 150 jobs in Bristol.
An existing composite manufacturing
technology facility, along with around
30 employees, has been transferred
from the Isle of Wight. Since 2008, the
UK Government has provided funding
and support for Rolls-Royce composite
technology research and development,
including £7.4m of funding to support the
Isle of Wight facility. The equipment from
here has been moved and developed
further at the new facility in Bristol.
*Excluding power generation and test
operations.
From January, the facility will begin making
fan blades and cases for the UltraFan
demonstrator engine. The composite system
for the UltraFan engine demonstrator is
taking shape, and different parts have
completed aerodynamic performance, bird-
strike, containment, icing and water ingestion
tests, as well as ground and flight testing.
Rolls-Royce has been involved in developing
carbon-fibre technologies for several
decades and already uses the material for
parts within its engines. The new facility will
take this technology to the next level.
For further information, please visit www.rolls-royce.com
Issue 43 PECM
7