Excerpts from April 2025 Newsletter
Our April 2025 newsletter featured the latest news within Loop Technology and events from the wider composite, aerospace and robotics industries. You can see a few excerpts below. To get the full newsletter each month, just sign up at the bottom of the page.
The ASCEND consortium has successfully completed a four-year programme, driving significant advancements in high-rate composite manufacturing technology in the UK. This initiative, led by GKN-Aerospace, brought together 16 partners to accelerate the development and use of advanced materials and automation for manufacturing composite structures in the aerospace, automotive and air mobility sectors. Loop Technology’s FibreEYE, FibreFORM and FibreROLL technology were all enhanced under ASCEND.
FibreEYE now offers a comprehensive inspection ecosystem for composites, combining advanced imaging techniques with artificial intelligence, to deliver in situ material defect detection and high accuracy placement verification during layup. These highly advanced end effectors are parts of the wider FibreLINE product suite which automates the preforming process in composite manufacturing. We thoroughly enjoyed contributing to this advanced manufacturing programme that was funded by industry and the ATI, collaborating with leading specialists across the supply chain in the UK.
Automating Assembly Operations in Restricted Spaces
Bravura is a robot like no other, designed specifically for entering confined areas such as aircraft wing boxes and automating manufacturing tasks within them. This Loop Technology product is lightweight, compact and has infinite axis rotation.
It integrates with inspection, sealant and other assembly tools to conduct operations in places previously inaccessible to automated systems. Bravura uses kinematic coupling and our intuitive offline programming software CyberDRIVE to smoothly enter in and out of the designated aperture. The system can be installed on the end of another robot, an Automated Guided Vehicle (AGV) or a combination of both in order to maximise reach and manoeuvrability.
Zund UK Open Day & WEAF in April
After a whirlwind time in Paris at JEC 2025 last month, we have been at a few other events this month including the ASCEND Industrial Showcase, Zund UK’s Open Day and SAMPE, all demonstrations of the exciting state of the Aerospace and Automotive industries in the UK. Loop Technology will also be attending the WEAF (West of England Aerospace Forum) Annual Conference & Expo 2025 on April 30th 2025. This event will delve into a range of topics and technological developments in the aerospace sector, with our Technical Sales Manager participating in a panel on disruptive technology and discussing the future of aircraft manufacturing!
