FACC AG has been chosen by the Minister for Innovation, Doris Bures, as a "Frontrunner", as the first company in Austria. The prize awarded by the Federal Ministry for Transport, Innovation and Technology (BMVIT) honours those innovative top companies, which are leaders in technology and market leaders in their fields throughout Europe and worldwide, have high export quotas and invest equally strongly in research and in production.
The Minister for Innovation, Doris Bures, presented the "Frontrunner“ trophy on 15 May on the occasion of her visit to FACC AG and at the same time emphasised the strength in terms of innovation of the leading aerospace supplier in Austria.
In the sector of the lightweight composite components for the international aviation industry FACC occupies a leading technological position. With investments at the amount of 20 % of the turnover in research and development as well as in the expansion of technology and infrastructure, the company is developing its leading position in global competition and, of course, at the same time, locations and jobs in Austria on a long term basis. "We have gained a position as innovation leader on the world market – our export quota of almost 100 % is the best proof of this. Together with our customers and suppliers we develop tailor-made lightweight construction concepts and systems, which save on weight and fuel and increase efficiency in flight operations", Walter Stephan, CEO of FACC AG, emphasised the achievements of FACC. In the frame of its research activities, in addition to international co-operations, FACC is also very intensely networked with research institutes on a national level and integrates a large number of domestic small and medium-size companies as suppliers, upstream businesses and service providers. As a result FACC makes a substantial contribution to the net product of the surrounding regions and the economic output of Austria. "Aeronautical research is always linked to risks due to long development times and high advance financing and self-financing. The frontrunner initiative of the BMVIT and the sponsorships tools implemented jointly with the Austrian Research Promotion Agency (FFG) and the Austria Business Service (aws), are essential here – they create optimal outline conditions and provide comprehensive support for our research and investment plans", Stephan said.
Lead through research and innovation
The fundamental research-oriented activities in the field of research and development of FACC AG have been laid down long term for many years. The general main areas of research are the development of new concepts of construction of aircraft components, optimised and new production technologies and materials as well as new methods of calculation and simulation.
In the field of new concepts of construction, generally it is a question of the substitution of metallic materials through fibre reinforced materials – so-called composites. Consequently, in the last few years, the results of the research projects were successfully put into production, which will safeguard the competitiveness of FACC AG for years to come. Airbus and Boeing aircraft fly with components – winglets, spoilers, fairings and translating sleeves – which, in terms of design, originate in the R&D department of FACC AG.
With the development of new production technologies, in the first place it is a question of replacing the time-intensive and work-intensive autoclave technology with new alternative technologies. FACC AG has taken a quantum leap, by replacing complex metallic structures with composites, which are manufactured in the resin injection process. In the last three years, FACC AG has managed to manufacture large integral composite wing components in a new process in which the cost-intensive autoclave technology can be dispensed with. In this process dry carbon fibres are impregnated with resin and then hardened under a raised temperature. FACC AG has applied for a patent for this new technology. The latest areas of focus of the research of FACC AG are in the field of braiding as well as automation. Production stages must be automated due to the increase in aircraft production to be expected, both at Airbus and Boeing.
The field of methods of calculation and simulation outside of structural mechanics is gaining ever more in importance; after all, as a result, costs can be saved in the entire product development and production process. At the same time, FACC AG backs the development of new methods in component design and the simulation of production processes. Especially in the simulation of production processes the cost-intensive and time-intensive change of tools and production processes shall be reduced as a result.
All R&D projects of FACC AG are successfully implemented with university and industrial partners. In addition, FACC AG can fall back upon a large national and international network of partners.