A new collaborative aerospace innovation programme is bringing together expertise from across the composites supply chain to bridge the gap between material innovation and industrial production.
As the aerospace industry strives towards Net Zero and more efficient manufacturing, there is growing interest in thermoplastic composites as a route to lighter, more sustainable and cost-effective aerospace structures.
Project OPTIMA (Optimisation of Thermoplastic Composites Manufacturing with Intelligent Automation) is led by advanced composites manufacturer CCP Gransden, in collaboration with the University of Sheffield Advanced Manufacturing Research Centre (AMRC) and Sigmatex. The two-year programme is focused on developing and demonstrating a complete material and process solution spanning material development, textile manufacture and production-scale processing.
Supported through the ATI SME Programme, delivered in partnership with the Aerospace Technology Institute (ATI), the Department for Business, Innovation, Science and Trade (BIST) and Innovate UK, the project will strengthen UK capability in advanced composites manufacturing and help bridge the gap between material innovation and industrial production.
Dr Beverly Stewart, Project OPTIMA Lead Engineer at CCP Gransden, said:
“OPTIMA gives us a valuable opportunity to look at thermoplastic composite manufacturing from start to finish, something that is often difficult to achieve within a single project. This collaborative approach will help us better understand the barriers to adoption and demonstrate practical solutions that support the future of aerospace manufacturing.”
Key innovation areas within Project OPTIMA include:
• Material Development – creating tailored thermoplastic tapes and woven fabrics that enable faster processing, greater design flexibility and improved recyclability.
• Automation and Machine Learning Development – integrating intelligent automation, inline monitoring and process optimisation to support high-rate production.
• Digital Product Passport Development – creating a digital thread linking material provenance, manufacturing data, inspection records and lifecycle information throughout the supply chain.
The AMRC will lead the development of bespoke thermoplastic unidirectional (UD) tapes, leveraging its new dual-mode thermoplastic processing line, alongside modelling and simulation tools to optimise material performance and manufacturability.
Sigmatex will convert these tapes into engineered woven fabric architectures designed for rapid forming into composite structures, while also exploring in-line monitoring and adaptive control technologies to improve manufacturing productivity.
As project lead, CCP Gransden will utilise these materials to manufacture aerospace demonstrator components within its dedicated high-rate manufacturing cell, one of the UK’s largest thermoplastic composite manufacturing capabilities, centred around a 1,100-tonne ENGEL V-duo platform. The programme will explore how intelligent automation and production-scale processing can be used to manufacture thermoplastic composite structures at the rates, quality and consistency required for future aerospace applications, helping to address key barriers to wider industrial adoption.
A key feature of the OPTIMA programme includes the creation of Digital Product Passports for every demonstrator component. The digital passports will capture information from material development, fabric manufacture and component production. These digital records will create a connected digital thread across the supply chain, supporting improved traceability, data-driven decision making and greater visibility throughout the product lifecycle.
By bringing together expertise from across the composites supply chain, OPTIMA will help establish the technologies, manufacturing approaches and digital connectivity needed to support the next generation of thermoplastic aerospace structures,
strengthening the UK’s position in advanced aerospace manufacturing.
CCP Gransden and Sigmatex will be exhibiting at the Advanced Engineering Show on 4th and 5th November 2026 at the NEC Birmingham. Visitors are invited to meet the team and learn more about Project OPTIMA at Stand W170.
Website: www.ccp-gransden.com