AGC AeroComposites, a global composites and metal components and assemblies manufacturer for the aerospace and defense industry, has invested in the development and deployment of a proprietary Automated Lay-up Machine (ALM) for the fabrication of composite structures and components. The machine is in service at the company's site in Hayden, Idaho which specializes in manufacturing both structural and non-structural advanced composites.

By investing in this advanced technology, AGC AeroComposites can provide significant cost reductions when compared to traditional hand lay-up processes. The machine is ideal for products such as cleats, clips, angle brackets and intercostals. The ALM conforms to existing process specifications, does not require engineering changes and uses existing or inexpensive new tooling.

“We realize that we have to remain innovative and continue to make strategic investments in order to compete with low-cost countries and emerging technologies,” said Wayne Exton, CEO of AGC AeroComposites. “We are excited to deploy the first machine of this type in the world and look forward to adding value to customers looking to reduce total landed costs in their products. This is truly a game changer.”

“The ALM is exceeding all of our expectations in superior quality and reduced cycle times,” said Mark Withrow, Vice President and General Manager of AGC's Hayden facility. “The repeatability of this enhanced technology is a dramatic step forward in first pass yield.”

The ALM is now operational at the Hayden facility. More complex geometries for composite products are being explored for future development.