Major aerospace supplier is working to scale its rate-enabling manufacturing processes for advanced air mobility industry
PARIS—Supernal LLC reported that it is partnering with Qarbon Aerospace, Inc. to bring component welding techniques to maturity as part of its plan to scale the production of electric vertical takeoff and landing (eVTOL) vehicles. The partnership was the first of two agreements with established aerospace manufacturers that Supernal announced at the Paris Air Show in June, the company said in a release.
Supernal is working to develop a novel manufacturing process that will enable the advanced air mobility (AAM) industry to meet expected demand in the coming decades. The U.S.-based company is part of Hyundai Motor Group, and is planning to harness its automotive manufacturing heritage to make advanced air mobility accessible to the mainstream. As it develops an eVTOL vehicle, the company is also working to “responsibly co-create the supporting ecosystem and integrate it into existing transit operations,” according to the release.
As a major manufacturer of composite components and assemblies for commercial and military aircraft and spacecraft, Qarbon Aerospace will work with Supernal to apply its induction welding technology to the assembly of Supernal’s thermoplastic carbon composite vehicle components. The companies will work to scale Qarbon Aerospace’s established welding process, developing a manufacturing roadmap to meet future demand for eVTOL vehicles, Supernal said in the release.
“Supernal is thrilled to partner with Qarbon Aerospace to advance rate-enabling manufacturing processes for the Advanced Air Mobility industry,” said Jaiwon Shin, president of Hyundai Motor Group and CEO of Supernal, in a statement. “By incorporating advanced materials and processes in our manufacturing strategy from the start, Supernal will be prepared to expand eVTOL vehicle production capacity to meet demand surges when the industry takes off.”
Supernal said it is investing significant time and resources into creating a new form of aviation manufacturing that marries aerospace’s high certification standards and automotive’s high-rate production technologies.
In the current phase, the company is partnering with major aerospace suppliers, such as Qarbon Aerospace, to improve processes and costs associated with the joining of lighter-weight components for its eVTOL vehicles. In parallel, Supernal is working with Hyundai Motor Group to create a roadmap for integrating the automotive giant’s automated manufacturing technologies into a scalable digital factory model, which the company said will further reduce the cost and time of aircraft production.
“We are extremely excited that Supernal has selected Qarbon Aerospace’s unique thermoplastic welding technology to enable the high-rate manufacturing of their eVTOL vehicle structure,” said Qarbon Aerospace CEO Pete Wick, in a statement. “Supernal’s deliberate approach of carefully selecting and integrating rate-enabling technology from the start differentiates their eVTOL vehicle in the AAM field, and we are proud that our technology is going to support Supernal’s inevitable success in the AAM industry.”
Supernal said its partnership with Qarbon Aerospace is part of the company’s “open ecosystem” approach to address the niche technology needs of advanced air mobility. The company plans to grow its portfolio of manufacturing partners across other vehicle components, in addition to airframe.
In a separate release, Qarbon said that its thermoplastic induction welding technology offers reduced weight, cycle times, and cost, as well as improved joint strength and enhanced repeatability. The technology also produces minimal material waste and enables flexible assembly fixturing, eliminating the need for high-cost staged tooling and infrastructure, the company said.