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ATK Advances Composite Technology for Next Generation Commercial Aircraft

Written by thomas · Filed Under Aeronautics News 

July 14, 2008

thomas

ATK Provides Low-Cost Composite Technology for Commercial Aerospace
ATK Automates Composite Stiffener Forming to Meet Demands of Next
Generation Aircraft

MINNEAPOLIS, July 14 /PRNewswire-FirstCall/ — Alliant Techsystems
(NYSE: ATK) announced the development of a patented automated stiffener
forming machine (ASFM) that provides automation technology for the
manufacture of composite stiffeners. A technology built for the
construction of next generation commercial aircraft, ATK’s patented ASFM
provides lower cost, higher quality stiffeners, with superior compaction
and repeatability compared to those produced using the previous
industry-standard, hand lay-up process.

ATK ASFM technology is also unique in the flexibility of its design.
Providing both a linear and radial option, the ATK ASFM can fabricate
stringers and the frames, which make up the skeleton of a commercial
aircraft fuselage shell, at production rates of nearly 10 times that of the
traditional lay-up process.

This technology marks another first for ATK in the advancement and
successful application of automated technology for composites.

ATK, a recognized developer of advanced fiber placement technology, is
also advancing its fiber placement capability to meet the expanding
composite aerostructures market for both commercial and military
applications. ATK is executing a focused development effort to provide a
near-term doubling of throughput on individual fiber placement machines and
is targeting a long-term improvement factor of 10. These increases in
production will provide for significant cost savings. When combined with
ATK’s industry-leading fiber placement capacity, these significant advances
in production will allow ATK to meet the increasing commercial and military
demand. ATK currently has 10 large format fiber placement machines in
place, and plans to install two more in the next 18 months, further
extending ATK’s market lead in this area.

“ATK is technology driven and the ASFM development continues that
tradition,” said Mark Messick, Vice President and General Manager, ATK
Aerospace Structures. “Our goal is to develop and perfect technologies that
meet the demands of the industry and exceed customer expectations.”

ATK is a premier aerospace and defense company with more than 17,000
employees in 21 states and $4.5 billion in revenue. News and information
can be found on the Internet at http://www.atk.com.

Certain information discussed in this press release constitutes
forward-looking statements as defined in the Private Securities Litigation
Reform Act of 1995. Although ATK believes that the expectations reflected
in such forward-looking statements are based on reasonable assumptions, it
can give no assurance that its expectations will be achieved.
Forward-looking information is subject to certain risks, trends and
uncertainties that could cause actual results to differ materially from
those projected. Among those factors are: changes in the expected level of
demand for ATK’s composite technology; the company’s competitive
environment; and economic conditions. ATK undertakes no obligation to
update any forward-looking statements. For further information on factors
that could impact ATK, and statements contained herein, please refer to
ATK’s most recent Annual Report on Form 10-K and any subsequent quarterly
reports on Form 10-Q and current reports on Form 8-K filed with the U.S.
Securities and Exchange Commission.

SOURCE ATK

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