Turkish Aerospace and Boeing partner to produce thermoplastic composites

Turkish Aerospace announced a partnership with Boeing as part of its continued effort to develop high-tech products locally. Turkish Aerospace, a research and development leader in Turkey, and Boeing's partnership aims to develop thermoplastic manufacturing capability in Turkey. As part of this collaboration, Boeing will provide technical support for Turkish Aerospace to establish a facility for the production of thermoplastic materials for the aerospace industry. These light weight, energy efficient thermoplastic parts, will be produced in a fully automated production facility.

About the collaboration Turkish Aerospace CEO Prof. Temel Kotil stated "We are very excited to sign a new cooperation with our strategic partner Boeing. We look forward to continue to increase the direction of new production technologies and aviation sector with such important collaborations. As the company that guides and leads the most important projects of Turkey, we will make high quality production and make thermoplastic investments, and we will reduce the cost significantly."

Thermoplastics are polymers that can be melted and recast almost indefinitely. They are molten when heated and harden upon cooling. These characteristics, are reversible, so the material can be reheated, reshaped, and frozen repeatedly. As a result, thermoplastics are mechanically recyclable.

"This agreement adds a new dimension to the longstanding partnership between Turkish Aerospace and Boeing. It also expands the existing technology collaboration between Boeing and Turkey under the National Aerospace Initiative (NAI), which is Boeing's investment plan for Turkey announced in 2017. This is a reflection of our continued commitment to the country and to our partners" stated Aysem Sargin, managing director Boeing Turkey.

Turkish Aerospace and Boeing's research is focused on designing high quality thermoplastic parts in a high-capacity rapid production system for aerospace use. Initial results show that High Efficiency Affordable Rapid Thermoplastic (HEART), can reduce the production cycle and process costs by 30% compared to conventional composites. This partnership will include the training of technical personnel to develop local expertise in this field and enable Turkey to produce thermoplastics that meets the highest global standards.