# Firefly Aerospace to automate rocket production with Ingersoll AFP systems

Firefly Aerospace announced a commitment to increase manufacturing capacity by acquiring Automated Fiber Placement (AFP) Mongoose Hybrid systems from Ingersoll Machine Tools. The first system will be installed in May 2021 at its Briggs, Texas facility, and a second at its Florida factory beginning 2022.

- Type: Investment
- Announced: 2020-10-29
- Where: Briggs, Texas; Cape Canaveral, Florida, United States
- Starts operating: May 2021
- Status: announced
- Capacity: 24 Alpha rockets per year (Florida factory)
- Products: automated fiber placement systems, composite rocket airframes
- Sectors: [Aerospace Components](https://endata.com/sectors/aerospace-components.md), [Automation and Robotics](https://endata.com/sectors/automation-robotics.md)

## Companies

- [Firefly Aerospace](https://endata.com/companies/32121.md)
- [Ingersoll Machine Tools](https://endata.com/companies/42992.md) (supplier)

## Sources

- [aerospaceonline.com](https://www.aerospaceonline.com/doc/firefly-aerospace-to-automate-composite-rocket-production-with-ingersoll-machine-tools-0001), 2020-10-29: "Firefly will install the first of two planned AFP systems in May 2021 at its manufacturing and test facility in Briggs, Texas, where Alpha will be requalified using AFP manufacturing processes."
- [spacenews.com](https://spacenews.com/firefly-announces-transition-to-robotic-rocket-manufacturing/), 2020-10-29: "Firefly will install the first of two planned AFP systems in May 2021 at its manufacturing and test facility in Briggs, Texas"
- [investors.fireflyspace.com](https://investors.fireflyspace.com/news-releases/news-release-details/firefly-aerospace-automate-composite-rocket-production-ingersoll), 2020-11-02: "Firefly will install the first of two planned AFP systems in May 2021 at its manufacturing and test facility in Briggs, Texas."
- [fireflyspace.com](https://fireflyspace.com/news/firefly-aerospace-to-automate-composite-rocket-production-with-ingersoll-machine-tools/), 2020-11-02: "High speed, robotic, large-scale automated fiber placement (AFP) machines, like those produced by Ingersoll Machine Tools, are now widely utilized in the aircraft industry."

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Data from Endata (https://endata.com/). Announcements are summarized from public sources and may be incomplete; check the linked originals.