Spirit AeroSystems Inc., that designs and builds aerostructures for both commercial and defence customers, is installing one of the world’s largest autoclaves at its Wichita, Kansas facility, to support increasing production levels in the company’s composite fuselage business and to grow overall composite production capability.

An autoclave is a pressure chamber used to cure composite material. Spirit has composite expertise for large, complex aerostructures, as well as jet engine nacelles.

The autoclave, which is 120 feet long, is one of nearly 40 at Spirit’s Wichita location. The addition is part of a 94,000 square-foot expansion to Spirit’s composite fuselage facility, where the company makes the carbon-fibre nose section for Boeing’s 787 Dreamliner. The new autoclave has a thirty foot diameter and an internal volume of more than 78,000 cubic feet.

Terry George, Spirit’s vice president of the 787 program said, “Spirit continues to invest in our composite manufacturing capability and this latest expansion will help us meet record demand for the products we build. Spirit’s capabilities in composites are unmatched, and we are looking forward to continuing to meet our customer’s composite manufacturing needs.” (GK)