A cooperative research agreement to develop metal 3D printing for aircraft manufacturing has been announced by Arconic and Airbus.
Customized processes and parameters to produce and qualify large, structural 3D printed components, such as pylon spars and rib structures, up to approximately 1m (3ft) in length, will be developed by the two companies.
Arconic’s expertise in metal additive manufacturing and metallurgy will be combined with Airbus’s design and qualification capabilities, building on its experience with regulatory agencies for certification.
“This agreement combines the expertise of two of the world’s top aerospace additive manufacturing companies to push the boundaries of 3D printing for aircraft production,” commented Eric Roegner, executive vice president and group president, Arconic Engineered Products and Solutions and Arconic Defense.
“Additive manufacturing promises a world where lighter, more complex aerospace parts are produced cheaper and faster. We’re joining forces to make that potential a reality in a bigger way than ever before.”
Arconic’s electron beam, high-deposition rate technology will be used to produce large aerospace components because it prints them up to one hundred times faster than technologies used for smaller, more intricate parts.
November 16, 2017
