McLaren develops ART aerospace-grade carbon fiber scaled for supercar manufacturing

Deployed at the McLaren Composites Technology Centre in Sheffield, UK, the new Automated Rapid Tape production method produces carbon-fiber structures optimized for lighter, stiffer, and stronger parts produced with less waste, the first production application being on the new W1 Ultimate supercar.
McLaren Automotive says it has developed a world-first application of an aerospace industry composites manufacturing method “scaled appropriately” for volume supercar manufacturing. Deployed at the McLaren Composites Technology Centre (MCTC) in Sheffield, UK, the new ART (Automated Rapid Tap) method produces carbon-fiber structures that can be optimized for lighter, stiffer, and stronger parts via advanced structural optimization produced with less waste-material generation.
“Carbon fiber is integral to the McLaren story and a core part of our DNA,” said Michael Leiters, Chief Executive Officer for McLaren Automotive. “It enables us to deliver super-lightweight supercars with the very best dynamic attributes and it remains an area of technical exploration with much to discover, and many more gains to be realized.”
The new specialized manufacturing process will enable enhancements to future models that augments the best attributes of the material. As McLaren explains it, the aerospace industry uses ultra-precise manufacturing methods to build highly tailored carbon-fiber structures for the latest generation of jetliners and fighter aircraft, particularly for large, crucial parts such as aircraft fuselage and wings.
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