Jigsaw Structures Ltd & City, University of London are pleased to announce a successful conclusion to the Innovate UK – NATEP: helping SMEs innovate in aerospace Autumn 2022 Competition. The BETA Sealing System 18-month project concluded in September 2024 with the support of Airbus in the UK, Meggitt Seals and Barrnon as an interested parties and potential end-users.
The industrial-academic partnership between Jigsaw Structures & City focused on the laminar-flow-friendly sealing of aerodynamic surface panels (steps & gaps) for civil aircraft.
The project met all of its objectives:
- to deliver an innovative wing assembly sealing system employing a high build-rate End Effector to snap-fit an operability-friendly seal
- to quantify experimentally the degradation of the seal’s aerodynamic & sealing performance due to wear, contrasted with an analytical assessment of the impact of ageing traditional sealant, building the case for adoption of a snap-fit sealing system over sealant
The BETA Sealing System project aligned with the ATI “Destination Zero:2050” disruptive innovation strategies. The project further addressed priority areas within the UK Jet Zero Council objectives and the ATI’s FlyZero initiative, particularly the focus on delivery at pace of sustainable aviation airframes.
