Q&A: Aerospace VP Tells Composite Manufacturers to “Go Big”

Mark Messick, Vice President / General Manager, ATK Aerospace Structures

Mark Messick is Vice President and General Manager, ATK Aerospace Structures, for Alliant Techsystems Inc. (ATK), an aerospace and defense company.  For over 50 years, ATK Aerospace Structures has been a key player in mission-critical composite structures for the aerospace and defense industries. With more than 18,000 employees in 22 states, Puerto Rico and internationally, it has an anticipated FY10 revenue of approximately $4.8 billion.

How is the Aerospace Division of ATK organized?

As a division of ATK’s Aerospace Structures Group, Aerospace Structures Division is headquartered in Clearfield, Utah. The division alone employs more than 1,100 workers, with operations in California, Colorado, Massachusetts, Mississippi, Ohio and Utah. The division is organized into three distinct business lanes: commercial aircraft programs, military programs and launch programs. The common thread amongst these businesses is the application of composites to deliver structures that exceed our customer expectations, whether it’s the skeletal structure of the Airbus A350XWB airframe or the wing skins of the F-35 Lightning II, we strive to deliver affordable, high quality composite structures.

What percentage of ATK’s business do composites make up?

Across the corporation, composite manufacturing is approximately 10 percent of our business and continues to see steady growth.

How does your division stay competitive?

As far back as the 1980s, with the development of automated fiber placement technology, the R&D process has been a key factor in our ability to maintain a leadership role in the industry.  Today, the Automated Stiffener Forming (which started out as just a concept) now provides an automated solution for manufacturing composite stringers and frames for commercial aircraft and reduces manufacturing time by 90 percent compared to traditional hand layup methods.

What prompted ATK’s use of composites on a larger scale?
ATK has a deep heritage in large-scale composites such as rocket motor cases, fairings and other mission critical launch structures. But the need for large complex structures in the military and commercial aircraft markets has seen a surge. Composites are commanding a more important role in airframe and engine structures, driven by the need for improved fuel efficiency and operability. Right now, we are focusing our automated productions of composites to enable lighter and more reliable structures to meet that need. For example, automated fiber placement, stringer, frame forming and improved non-destructive inspection techniques are all being implemented for more affordable, high performance parts and assemblies for this market.

How do you determine what parts will be made of what materials?

ATK performs trade studies as a part of the initial program or product lifecycle to determine the materials that will be utilized on a part or component; typically a composite versus metal trade. In most instances, the composite design costs more to produce than the metal counterpart. However, the composite design typically saves weight and has the potential to reduce part count. The trade studies take into account the specific criteria for the component and weight, each based on customer need. Some customers or applications will pay a higher price for weight savings or increased performance (examples include space craft and satellite structures), while others may place a higher priority on cost (such as commercial aircraft or automotive structures). ATK also considers how the individual part or component must interface with other components and in the overall system.

How did you become involved with NASA’s Ares I launch vehicle?

ATK worked on a trade study with NASA comparing the base-line approach of metal to the attributes of composites.  Our design and analysis group focused its efforts on some of the major Ares I first stage components, such as frustum and aeroshell as well as skirts.  The results demonstrated the use of composites structures could result in a component weight savings of 25 to 30 percent when compared to similar components made from metal.  These trade studies were evaluated by ATK and presented to NASA.  As a result, the frustum and aeroshell were chosen to be manufactured from composites.

How do you see the new NASA CCM (composite crew module) reducing overall weight of future manned launch vehicles?

The CCM project has demonstrated the capabilities of composites in the application of a pressure shell for a manned spacecraft. When a composite structure design is optimized for its intended application, you will typically realize a 15 to 20 percent weight savings over an equivalent metal structure. We believe that what was demonstrated on the CCM project can be applied to an overall integrated crew module or cargo module assembly, and will realize the same levels of weight savings over an all-metallic design.

From ATK’s point of view, how would you describe the outcome of the CCM project?

The CCM project was hugely successful for NASA, ATK and all of the industry partners that had the opportunity to support this project. One of NASA’s primary objectives was to provide the agency with experience in the design, manufacture and test of complex composite structures.  The other primary objective was to test and validate the design assumptions and manufacturing processes. From both perspectives, this project was a home run. The CCM completed all testing, which included cycled structural loading and internal pressurization, to design ultimate limits—with no failures. Additionally, intentional damage was induced to the pressure shell and testing to ultimate loads repeated and no failures or damage propagation were detected.  That’s a significant result, as it demonstrates the integrity of composites in support of manned space flight.

What are ATK’s material evaluation and testing processes like?

Materials are typically evaluated based upon the existing databases and past experience. We use testing, which is performed on the base materials as well as the component level, as a part of the design validation process in order to validate that design assumptions and margins are adequate.

What is your role in terms of working with supply chain partners?

As a means to stay competitive, ATK is always looking for true supplier partners. Our role is to mentor and develop suppliers via supplier development, supplier symposiums, and process improvement methodologies workshops. We rely heavily on market studies and current supplier performance to identify sub-tier providers that hold capabilities to complement our existing competencies. Offhand, I can think of several strategic agreements that we have, which promote the use of local businesses and small business set asides.

What are your criteria for evaluating and choosing supply chain partners?

Current performance evaluations include a balanced table of capabilities, cost, quality, and delivery metrics. Our existing suppliers are reviewed on a quarterly basis for performance to these requirements. Pending suppliers are audited for fundamental business practices such as capacity planning, quality systems and financial health monitors that are indicative of a supplier’s stability. Equally important to the evaluation process is the practice of process improvement, which brings suppliers into the standard of quality that will make ATK and our supplier partners successful.

What performance properties would you like to see improved in composites materials?

Better control on prepreg raw material properties for resin content, areal weight, and per ply thickness. If the prepreg could be controlled within a tighter tolerance, band variability would be reduced. As customers call for tighter control on part thicknesses, the challenge is often exceeded when material tolerances on a per ply thickness are stacked.

What obstacles or challenges do composites face to being more widely adopted in the aviation and aerospace industries?

Composites have made significant inroads in both the aviation and aerospace industries. It is now widely accepted to use composites on commercial aircraft primary structures and for man-rated aerospace applications. The next challenge will be to incorporate real-time health monitoring systems into composite components and systems to detect impact damage or in-use anomalies such as delaminations. Right now, we are working on a health monitoring system for large composite structures, which is expected to expand the use of composites in aviation and aerospace.

In the future, what parts could be made out of composites that aren’t currently?

Obviously, it is difficult to predict the future. As the cost of composite materials decrease, I would expect to see more use in the automotive industry. Entire composite chassis are widely used in the sport of racing. As you drive up the road, a high percentage of commuters are alone in their vehicles. I would expect that eventually there will be a low-cost composite chassis for an individual or two-person vehicle. Composites have already made significant inroads in the sporting goods and recreational industries. As oil prices escalate, I would also expect to see composites used for deep well gas and oil wells.

How do you decide which shows to exhibit ATK materials/products?

Simply, it all hinges on our customers – existing and potential.  Our most productive shows revolve around meetings and collaboration. ATK is an innovative company, developing the latest in composite automation technology from manufacturing to inspection, so we look to exhibit at shows that offer an opportunity to showcase our composites expertise, display samples when appropriate, and most importantly meet with customers.

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