Airbus Helicopters' Composites Center in Canada fulfills global requirements for Airbus components.
Airbus Helicopters' Fort Erie Composites Shop Leads the Way in Advanced Aviation Technology
In the heart of Canada, the Composites Shop Center of Excellence at Airbus Helicopters in Fort Erie is making waves in the aerospace industry. This specialized facility focuses on the production and assembly of advanced composite materials used in helicopter structures.
The Composite Lay-up department, a critical part of the operation, plays a pivotal role in manufacturing helicopter parts. This department is responsible for the precise lay-up of composite materials, involving the placement of fiber reinforcements (such as carbon fiber) into molds according to specific design patterns. This process ensures high structural integrity and performance required for helicopter airframes and critical parts.
The products produced in this department include structural components for Airbus helicopters, such as fuselage sections, rotor blades, and other load-bearing elements made from thermoset or thermoplastic composites. They also create advanced composite sandwich panels and honeycomb core structures, combining strength with light weight, and customized composite parts tailored for specific helicopter models and their performance requirements.
The composite lay-up process involves multiple stages, including material preparation, fiber placement (manual or automated), resin impregnation, and curing. Layers of resin-coated fiber sheets are placed into molds either manually or with robotic assistance. After lay-up, parts undergo curing in autoclaves or ovens where heat and pressure solidify the composite into the final shape. Quality control measures such as non-destructive inspection ensure part integrity and adherence to strict aerospace standards.
The Composite Lay-up department is a close-knit team of 33 focused, detail-oriented individuals, led by Krista Bauer. Bauer, a 23-year Airbus employee, emphasizes her equality with her team members and prioritizes creating a welcoming and positive environment, aligning with Airbus' values of teamwork and inclusivity.
Bauer's management style encourages good attitudes and openness to questions. She takes pride in the fact that their work contributes to the creation of helicopters that save lives. The composite parts, after their journey through the workshop, are sent to the paint department for final preparation before delivery.
Approximately 370 composite parts move through the process in the Composite Shop Center of Excellence per month. These parts are used in eight different helicopter types: H125, H130, H135, H145, H155, H160, H215, and H225. The composite manufacturing process at the center includes cutting, layup, and curing of materials.
Bauer's journey with Airbus began as a Layup Technician in 2001, and she rose through the ranks to Supervisor in 2012. Airbus offers opportunities for professional development and international travel, as evidenced by Bauer's visits to the company's plants in France and Germany.
The Composite Department at the Fort Erie facility accounts for nearly half of the 138,000 square foot production site. This expertise contributes to Airbus’s broader goals of advancing sustainable, high-performance aerospace technologies, supporting aerospace innovations by integrating cutting-edge composite manufacturing techniques to produce key helicopter components.
