The University of Strathclyde and global component manufacturer Spirit AeroSystems have formalised their history of successful collaboration.

A letter of co-operation between the partners was signed at Spirit’s Prestwick manufacturing site by Strathclyde principal Jim McDonald and Tommy Cowan, Spirit senior vice-president (finance).

The move aims to build on work between the company and the university to develop innovative manufacturing technologies to help shape the future of aircraft design, manufacture and performance.

The work has been carried out both on the university campus and at Strathclyde’s high-tech manufacturing centre, the Advanced Forming Research Centre (AFRC).

Spirit (www.spiritaero.com) and Strathclyde are also set to collaborate through a new purpose-built facility in the heart of the campus, a £2.5 million Robotically Enabled Sensing hub (RES), which is due to be completed later this year.

Professor McDonald said (www.strath.ac.uk) : “This letter of co-operation will strengthen future collaborations and ensure that we continue to generate innovative and commercially viable solutions and technologies to translate areas of fundamental research into high-impact outcomes.

"It also enables us to support Spirit with its supply chain and strategic priorities by providing access to talent, sponsoring students, creating collaborative opportunities and working in partnership to address research challenges impacting the global aerospace sector.”

Spirit AeroSystems is one of the largest manufacturers of aero-structures in the world.

It is set to open a new 85,000ft2 Aerospace Innovation Centre at Prestwick later this year to support growth in research and technology.

Mr Cowan said: “Working in collaboration with the University of Strathclyde gives Spirit access to additional skills and expertise that will help the company realise its global goals and ambitions.

“The aim is to develop a ‘gold standard’ model of industrial and academic engagement between Spirit and Strathclyde.”