The Advanced Aerospace Materials Manufacturing Center Tech Hub, or AAMMC, is centered in Eastern Washington and North Idaho and sees a great future in the development of thermoplastic composites for aircraft and spacecraft. Last October, the U.S. Department of Commerce designated the AAMMC as one of 31 Tech Hubs based across the country, making it eligible to apply for a $72 million Phase 2 grant. This designation is seen as an inflection point for the City of Spokane, as it aims to bolster innovative manufacturing and collaborative research in the region to boost the local economy and create jobs.
The key innovation that the Spokane Tech Hub focuses on is the development of thermoplastic composites, which are reversible and recyclable as opposed to thermoset composites used traditionally in aircraft manufacturing. The ability to weld thermoplastic composites together for larger structures and their potential use in smaller electric aircraft such as eVTOLs make them an attractive option for the future of aerospace manufacturing. U.S. manufacturers are lagging significantly behind their European counterparts in developing large-scale thermoplastic composite technology, and the Thermoplastic Composites Research Center in the Netherlands is one of the leaders in this field.
The $280 billion CHIPS and Science Act, led by Sen. Maria Cantwell, aims to address this technology gap and boost investment in innovative technologies essential to U.S. economic and national security. The Spokane-based consortium applied for Tech Hub status and was chosen to move on to the program’s second phase, demonstrating confidence in the plan to upgrade thermoplastic composite technology. The AAMMC consortium comprises more than 50 organizations involved in composite manufacturing, aerospace companies, and academic institutions. The Tech Hub aims to advance the state of thermoplastic manufacturing by creating a 386,000-square-foot facility to serve as its headquarters in Airway Heights near Spokane International Airport.
The Advanced Aerospace Materials Manufacturing Center will focus on expanding the use of thermoplastic composites in larger aircraft components, such as wings and frames, by advancing manufacturing techniques. The facility plans to purchase a thermoplastics press capable of stamping out large aerospace components to demonstrate the capabilities of thermoplastic materials in aircraft manufacturing. The goal is to bring automotive production rates to aerospace quality to speed up the production process and improve efficiency in the aviation industry.
If the AAMMC consortium receives the Phase 2 funding, it aims to become financially self-sufficient within three years and have a significant impact not only in the aerospace industry but also in the space and potentially automotive industries. The collaborative efforts of various organizations, government support, and industry commitments are essential for the advancement of thermoplastic composite technology. While the Spokane Tech Hub is competing with 30 other regional consortiums for Phase 2 grants, it plans to continue its efforts with or without the funding to support the development of advanced materials in the aerospace sector.
