Delastek Inc., of Grand-Mère, Quebec, specializing in the manufacture of composite structural aircraft and helicopter parts, reports a 5 percent reduction in composite material cost since installing a Virtek® LaserEdge™ laser templating system and GERBERcutter® DCS2500 computer-controlled composite cutting system. Delastek's customers include Original Equipment Manufacturers (OEMs) and Tier II aerospace suppliers, among others. The company manufactures the integrated internal cockpit for Quebec-based Bombardier Aerospace's CSeries medium-range jet airliners.

Claude Lessard, president of Delastek, said, "We have invested heavily in systems which are compatible with that of Bombardier, because we must work together on the aircraft's electronic model."

Delastek's project manager, Mathieu Doucet, said, "Automation has enabled us to significantly reduce our material expenses and ensure our product quality so we provide the highest components to our customers at a competitive price. These technologies are a central part of our plan to both increase our composite manufacturing capacity and expand our capabilities. The Gerber and Virtek teams brought us a suite of technology solutions that we couldn't find from any other single supplier in the market."

The GERBERcutter DCS2500 system is a high-speed, static cutting system designed to cut single to low plies of composite materials with precision. It cuts to within millimeters at speeds up to 1.1 meters per second. It also maximizes material utilization by eliminating buffer between parts required when cutting manually.

The Virtek LaserEdge system is a three-dimensional laser templating and positioning system that eliminates the need for physical templates, reduces costly rejects and saves set-up time. It projects a laser template onto molds to quickly and accurately guide operators through the ply layup process.

Todd Rhodes, president of Virtek, said, "Delastek is the epitome of how a small- to medium-size company can employ advanced technology to enable them to provide the highest quality products to some of the world's biggest aerospace companies. We are proud to be their partner and provide them with a suite of solutions to address their automation needs."