ITT Matrix Composites' HiRPM® Technology Adopted into Lockheed Martin's F-35 Lightning Program

Wednesday, 27 May 2020

HiRPM® ultra-precision closed molding technology will also be used for component manufacturing in all future F-35 aircraft

ROCKLEDGE, Fla., – May 27, 2020 – Matrix Composites, an ITT Inc. (NYSE: ITT) company, announced that its trademarked closed molding process, Hot Isostatic Resin Pressure Molding (HiRPM®), is qualified on Lockheed Martin's F-35 lighting program. In addition, HiRPM® is now the established manufacturing process for all future F-35 aircraft and is used on select parts within the aircraft's horizontal tail assembly. Airframe components produced with this innovative process flew for the first time in 2019.

Matrix Composites' HiPRM® technology is a state-of-the-art molding process for advanced composite materials and offers very specific benefits over more traditional autoclave manufacturing typically used in aerospace and defense. HiPRM® is designed for composite manufacturers of smaller and more intricate structures like critical edges, spars, and control surfaces. The company's past performance on the F-22 Raptor and 26-year heritage in specialized composite processing led Lockheed Martin to select Matrix Composites to field closed molding technologies on the F-35 program.
 
"Our process is ideally suited for small intricate parts requiring high dimensional accuracy. We're proud to help Lockheed Martin deliver a more effective and efficiently engineered F-35 aircraft," said David Nesbitt, Executive Director Business Development, Matrix Composites.

As a key supplier to the F-35 program, the Matrix Composites team worked with Lockheed Martin to create the company's variant of a controlled-volume-molding (CVM) process.
 
Benefits of the HiRPM® process include:

• High part-to-part dimensional repeatability
• Reduced manufacturing cycle times with increased production yield
• Reduces the need for expensive post-machining and other next-level assembly operations and recurring manufacturing costs

"At ITT, we stand as a committed partner in moving the aviation industry forward. Our strategic alignment of brands and products offers aerospace and defense customers a deep portfolio of innovative connect and control solutions," said Farrokh Batliwala, President of ITT's Connect and Control Technologies business. "We're proud to partner with Lockheed Martin to improve the performance and affordability of the F-35 program."

To learn more about the HiRPM® technology from Matrix Composites, please visit www.matrixcomp.com.

About ITT

ITT is a diversified leading manufacturer of highly engineered critical components and customized technology solutions for the transportation, industrial, and oil and gas markets. Building on its heritage of innovation, ITT partners with its customers to deliver enduring solutions to the key industries that underpin our modern way of life. ITT is headquartered in White Plains, NY, with employees in more than 35 countries and sales in a total of approximately 125 countries. The company generated 2019 revenues of $2.85 billion.

About ITT's Connect and Control Technologies Business

ITT's Connect and Control Technologies business designs and manufactures harsh-environment connectors and critical energy absorption, motion, flow and environmental control components. Through leading brands such as Aerospace Controls, BIW Connector Systems, Cannon, Compact, Conoflow, Enidine, Matrix Composites, Neo-Dyn and Veam, the business serves customers in the aerospace, defense, infrastructure, energy, automation, transportation and industrial markets.

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