Spirit AeroSystems Inc. is installing one of the world’s largest autoclaves at its Wichita, Kan., facility. The new autoclave is 120 feet long, has a 30-foot diameter and an internal volume of more than 78,000 cubic feet.
The autoclave, which is one of nearly 40 at Spirit’s Wichita location, in part of a 94,000 square-foot expansion to Spirit’s Composite Fuselage Facility, where the company makes the carbon-fiber nose section for Boeing’s 787 Dreamliner. As one of the largest manufacturers in the world, and Wichita’s largest employer, Spirit has composite expertise for large, complex aerostructures as well as jet engine nacelles.
“Spirit continues to invest in our composite manufacturing capability and this latest expansion will help us meet record demand for the products we build,” said Terry George, Spirit’s vice president of the 787 program. “Spirit’s capabilities in composites are unmatched, and we are looking forward to continuing to meet our customer’s composite manufacturing needs.”
