Project STRATA to revolutionize aerospace manufacturing
Honeywell has secured £14.1 million in UK Government funding to leverage AI and AM
A consortium led by Honeywell has secured £14.1 million in UK Government funding through the ATI Programme to launch Project STRATA, a research and development initiative that aims to transform aerospace manufacturing with AI and additive manufacturing. The project will explore how AI-driven modelling and advanced simulation can accelerate innovation cycles, cut Scope 3 emissions, and address supply chain challenges by enabling the production of certified additively manufactured aerospace parts.
STRATA will focus on developing five advanced components within Environmental Control Systems (ECS) and Cabin Pressure Control Systems (CPCS), which regulate cabin environments and ensure passenger safety. The project also targets next-generation thermal management technologies designed to reduce the energy required for heating and cooling aircraft, as well as fuel consumption, in support of net-zero goals.
“This is great news for Honeywell, and a good example of how government and business can work together to help keep the UK at the forefront of innovation in our world-class aerospace sector,” said Sarah Jones, Minister of State for Industry.
“Additive manufacturing has the ability to deliver both high-performance optimized components and the consolidation of complex assemblies into a single part, which can lower manufacturing costs, reduce waste, and deliver new efficiencies in manufacturing,” said Jacqueline Castle, Chief Technology Officer at the Aerospace Technology Institute.
The project will deliver benefits including improved aircraft efficiency, faster and more cost-effective additive manufacturing, AI-driven modelling to boost performance, and reinforcement of the UK’s additive manufacturing supply chain. Honeywell is leading the consortium, bringing together SMEs and academic partners such as 3T Additive Manufacturing, BeyondMath, Qdot Technology, and the Oxford Thermofluids Institute. Each partner will contribute expertise in digital twins, physics simulations, thermal management, and aerospace heat transfer research.
The ATI Programme, delivered in partnership with the Aerospace Technology Institute, the Department for Business & Trade, and Innovate UK, funds world-class research into advanced aerospace technologies. Honeywell will lead STRATA from its Yeovil facility, home to more than 500 engineers, building on years of experience in major European aerospace R&D programmes.
