News
Strong growth for Safran
Sales at the company in the first half came in at €12.1bn, up 27.3 per cent over the same period last year and 3 per cent ahead of analyst expectations. • Recurring operating income hit €1.9bn, a gain of 35.9 per cent over last year and 11 per cent ahead of expectations • Safran’s shares have risen more than 30 per cent this year • Sales and income were driven mostly by the group’s propulsion and aircraft interiors divisions, said analysts. Safran took over airline interiors company Zodiac Aerospace for €8.5bn in 2017 • The group also increased its full-year guidance, including full-year revenue that is now forecast to be 15 per cent versus 7 to 9 per cent previously and a doubling of the rate of underlying revenue growth to 10 per cent
Safran, the world’s third largest aerospace supplier, which has a huge design and manufacturing facility here in Burnley, has beaten market expectations, helping the French company raise growth forecasts for the rest of the year.
Safran Nacelles world first Safran Nacelles’ non-destructive testing process (NDT) for composite panels of aircraft nacelles won them the coveted Innovation Award at this year’s Burnley Business Awards. An automated non-destructive testing solution using infrared thermography and augmented reality bagged Safran the coveted award. This process was devised for the A320neo LEAP-1A and A330neo Trent 7000 nacelle programs for which production is expected to boom over the next three years. The results live up to the expectations: 50% less inspection cycle time and increase of availability of the equipment thanks to the separation of the controls and marking activities. Working
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conditions are also improved thanks to enhanced ergonomic softwares (developed by Safran) and easier controls. This is more than a new industrial method - it is an innovative process. The teams were mobilised in record time to find solutions for providing support to the company’s customers. They put the Group’s highest expertise to use, as well as existing technological and digital tools, such as automation and augmented reality. The digital factory is now a reality at Safran Nacelles. This NDT process is based on a robot named IRIS (Infra Red Inspection System), which uses infrared thermography to read data. After data processing, the information
is then analysed by an inspector using special viewing software. Finally, if needed, it is projected on the part via augmented reality. The use of infrared thermography on such large complex composite parts of varying thickness is unique in the world. The augmented reality system - instantaneously projecting all the areas to be checked directly on to parts measuring between 3m2 to 12m2 - is the first to be deployed by Safran. The deployment of IRIS highlights Safran’s expertise and capacity to develop singular technology and reflects the Group commitment to doing everything in its power to support their customers by proposing competitive and reliable solutions.
