The research has the potential to transform the aerospace industry, as it seeks to adapt resins already widely used by aeronautical manufacturers and operators, utilizing nano-technology to turn secondary structural composites into self-healing materials. Aircraft incorporating this technology would be more durable and have a longer service life, leading to significantly lower operational costs.
Element’s role within the 11-strong consortium will be to design and develop impact, fracture and fatigue mechanical tests to assess the efficiency of the self-healing process.
Rick Sluiters, Element’s VP of Europe Operations, says: “As one of Europe’s market-leading materials testing laboratories, to be integral to a project this ambitious furthers Element Hitchin’s deserved reputation as cutting-edge experts in composites.
“This research will also benefit all Element aerospace testing teams, as the knowledge gained and new test methodologies innovated will be shared across our global network of 1,400 Engaged Experts and 40 laboratories. Our Prime partners highly value Element’s ongoing role at the forefront of aerospace test development, recognizing that when they approach any of our laboratories worldwide, they receive a consistent service that taps into the expertise of our entire platform,” he concludes.
About Element:
Element is a company with a global presence; its laboratories are staffed by experts specializing in materials testing, product qualification testing and failure analysis for the Aerospace & Defense, Oil & Gas, Power Generation, and Transportation sectors. Element’s team of 1,400 scientists, engineers and technicians work in 40 laboratories located throughout the U.S. and Europe.
Media Contact:
Alison Dwyer or Benjamin Pfeffer, Smith & Smith PR Ltd., tel: +44 161 927 9487, e-mail: element@smithandsmithpr.co.uk.“Our Prime partners value Element’s ongoing role at the forefront of aerospace test development.”
Rick Sluiters
vp, european operations