Aerospace Materials and Autonomy Technologies
The signing ceremony was attended by the Undersecretary for Defence Industries Murad Bayar, FEMSAN General Manager Ertuğrul Ülker, VIC METAL General Manager Vedat Güngören, GÜR METAL General Manager Gürsel Yardımcı, DOWAKSA General Manager Mithat Okay, MIR ARGE General Manager Ibrahim Mirmahmutoğulları, TEI General Manager Mahmur Akşit, TAI General Manager Muharrem Dörtkaşlı, METU Vice Rector Prof. Dr. Volkan Atalay, Koç University Rector Prof. Dr. Ümran İnan, Atılım University Rector Prof. Dr. Abdürrahim Özgenoğlu and many guests.
Speaking at the ceremony Undersecretary Murad Bayar expressed the view there was a need for engineers with a doctorate and indicated that, “This does not happen without a need. Our defence industry got promoted from a labourer to a technician to an engineer. It is now being promoted to technology and even science.” Mentioning that they followed R&D work, Bayar said: “Each of our projects is important, we monitored each one as to where it was going. No R&D project is conducted for the sake of doing R&D and that is related to research on it. We know where all of them are going. Each one will serve a purpose. We want the research so that our specialised companies can produce, that they give it to the main contractors and after assembly that they put it inside an engine and after that we put it in an aircraft. All of this is integration work, a plan, a road map. All of the work we undertake is in the end provided in order to revamp our Armed Forces; the objective is this and is at a world standard.”
The Technological Depth of Turkey is Expanding
Carbon Fiber Reinforced Prepreg with Thermoplastic Resin Development Project used in the Aerospace Industry
The project to be realised from the business partnership made up of TAI and DOWAKSA İleri Komposit Malzemeler Sanayi Ltd. Şirketi targets the verification testing of prepreg material development and production; material and design verification testing and the realisation of small-scale static testing of an aircraft structure (“Anka” beam component). With the project, structural carbon fiber reinforced prepreg and non-structural carbon fiber reinforced prepreg glass materials will be developed. The carbon reinforced prepreg material will be of three types: plain weave, fivefold satin weave and one-way weave. Thanks to its high strength and corrosion resistance, it provides a longer lifespan in the air platforms it is used. With the realisation of the production of domestic prepreg material, the elimination of foreign dependence in the acquisition of material that are of crucial importance in the aerospace industry and acquiring knowledge and technology know-how is targeted.
Magnesium Casting Technology Development Project used in the Aerospace Industry
With the programme to take place with TAI as the principal contractor and Vig Metal as the sub-contractor, the acquisition of magnesium alloy casting technology and process to be used in helicopter platforms is planned for the production of light gear box body parts and the verification of the casting process. The project, by using verification processes through experimental work and engineering methods, covers the production of the ATAK helicopter’s upper body of the female box with indigenous design and casting process and with the identification of the design parameters of the magnesium casting process covers the preparation of the Technical Data Package (TVP).
Super Plastic Forming Process for Titanium Alloys Development Project
With this project through the business partnership between TAI and TEI and Atılım University as consultants, the capability in super plastic processing for titanium alloys for aircraft body parts as well as aircraft engine parts is targeted to be gained for Turkey.
Titanium Casting Technology Development Project used in the Aerospace Industry
In the project to be realised by TAI as the principal contractor and Gür Metal as the sub-contractor, the local production of titanium alloy parts with the vacuum precision casting method is targeted.
Nickel Alloy Additive Manufacturing Technology Development Project used in the Aerospace Industry
With the project to be realised with TAI as the principal contractor and Koç University as the consultant, the acquisition of additive manufacturing technology that is seen as the manufacturing technology of the future by the leading aerospace companies of the world is foreseen. By gaining a critical capability for the Turkish aerospace industry, this project is planned to obtain one of the additive manufacturing technologies, the selective laser melting as well as direct metal laser sintering, laser casing etc. for our country’s aerospace sector.
Servo Motor Development Project
To be carried out with the collaboration of TAI and FEMSAN Elektrik Motorları, the project aims to develop servo motors and accelerators for ANKA UAVs and the strategic UAV platforms that are likely to be produced through national means.
