Constellium, a leader in the design and manufacture of aluminium technologies, has announced its participation in the launch of the Jules Verne Technological Research Institute in Nantes (IRT), France, as an associate member. By joining forces with the first research institute to get the seal of approval from the 'Investments for Future' programme, and the first one to start its activities, Constellium aims to bring to fruition a series of technologies destined for use in future generation aerospace structures. “At Jules Verne IRT, clients' needs drive the roadmap to conduct innovations. This gathering of experts will enable us to better anticipate,” says Bruno Chenal, innovation and technology director for Constellium's global aerospace division. “By developing new methods for design, shaping and assembly, we will help optimise industrial manufacturing processes for aero structures. The aerospace industry as a whole expects breakthroughs in all these areas to maintain its leading economic position on the global market.” The projects implemented in partnership with this Technological Research Institute will notably help Constellium to improve its understanding of the impact of new ground-breaking aluminium technologies, such as Airware. The partnership will cover some specific fields, ranging from design to manufacturing of aircraft parts and hybrid structures, including machining, forming, welding and assembly. As a new research operator, the Jules Verne IRT will be most relevant for Constellium's projects. It combines academic expertise with practical experience that are both vital to address the future issues facing the aerospace value chain: optimising production cycles, managing costs, performance, efficiency, and reducing the environmental impact. “We are delighted with this agreement with the IRT Jules Verne that represents for us a great opportunity to partner with leading companies. We will therefore be able to highlight the full potential of aluminium as well as that of our technologies tailored for the aerospace industry,” said Christophe Villemin, president of Constellium's global aerospace division. www.constellium.com
