Hexcel, Progen and Future Aerospace opened their new joint venture laboratory and materials testing facility in Shanghai, China. Future Aerospace Hexcel Commercial Composite Testing Limited (FAHCCT) will provide China with a world-class aerospace standard materials testing laboratory that will provide technical services for commercial aircraft programmes.

Planned activities at the site will include mechanical and chemical testing of composite laminate specimens (including fatigue performance), material qualifications, and provision of support for customer supply chains in China, said Hexcel in a media statement.

The extensive new laboratory, with more than 1,000 square meters of floor space, will be fully operational in the coming weeks, employing 18 technicians to perform highly reliable testing of composite materials for commercial aerospace customers in China and the wider Asian region.

The new laboratory was awarded AS9100 certification in May 2019 and will work on existing and future aerospace customer specifications using state of the art equipment and standards that are already in use at other Hexcel facilities worldwide. (PC)