SINGAPORE-With the addition of Embraer, ST Aerospace, Honeywell, SAFRAN, General Electric and Defence Science Technology Agency, membership of the A*STAR Aerospace Consortium grew to 18 partners. The consortium brings together leading aerospace organisations including four commercial aircraft manufacturers, three aircraft engine OEMs, an increasing number of aircraft components and systems provider as well as all three of the largest Singapore organisations in aviation to embark on innovative research and share technology risks and costs in pre-competitive research.

The scale of A*STAR Aerospace Programme consortium research has expanded over the years. The R&D projects launched annually by the consortium have grown from an initial four in 2008 to 13 in 2012. To date, the consortium has undertaken a total of 37 multidisciplinary projects ranging from materials and coatings; inspection and data analytics; communications and electronics; to manufacturing and repair technologies; to develop new products, processes and solutions to improve performance, safety and productivity in aviation. The projects initiated by the consortium leverages on the broad spectrum of R&D capabilities of A*STAR's seven physical sciences and engineering research institutes and also its research collaborators in the universities.

Mr Tay Kok Khiang, Chairman, A*STAR Aerospace Programme said: "The large number of leading aviation companies in the A*STAR Aerospace Programme is particularly powerful in ensuring the research focus is on important issues for the aviation industry and our researchers are adding value to our Partners in the Aerospace Programme."

Said Mr Lim Chuan Poh, A*STAR Chairman, "By fostering meaningful public-private collaborations via the aerospace consortium platform, we are contributing to the growth of Singapore's aviation industry."

A*STAR's research institutes forge bilateral partnerships with A*STAR Aerospace Programme members.

Most recently, Boeing agreed to transfer ten A*STAR-developed technologies from research areas such as non-destructive testing, materials, and coatings that will contribute towards enhancing airline value and improving factory operations.

Beyond the consortium platform, Boeing's Network Enabled Manufacturing (NEM) team has partnered A*STAR's Institute for Infocomm Research (I2R) to improve its manufacturing and assembly processes via the development of an integrated sensor platform. Based on this platform, a jointly-developed Intelligent Factory Alert System has been successfully deployed in the production of Boeing 777 Airplanes and now enables mechanics to summon for immediate help from Ship Side Support teams, eliminating unnecessary delay in contacting and searching for support personnel.

Rolls-Royce In 2009, SIMTech and Rolls-Royce set up a joint Surface Finishing Lab to enhance productivity in manufacturing production. SIMTech and Rolls-Royce have over 75 collaborative projects including those on manufacturing process development for the aerospace and marine sectors, building on an R&D partnership that began as early as 2006.