Alcoa to supply 3D-printed metal parts for Airbus aircraft

Alcoa to supply 3D-printed metal parts for Airbus aircraft
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Alcoa, with headquarters in New York City, has entered into an agreement with Airbus, headquartered in France, to supply 3D-printed titanium fuselage and engine pylon components for Airbus commercial aircraft, which it says it expects to begin to deliver in mid-2016.

“We are proud to partner with Airbus to help pave the way to the future of aerospace development and manufacturing,” says Alcoa Chairman and Chief Executive Officer Klaus Kleinfeld. “The unique combination of our multimaterial alloy development expertise, powder production capabilities, aerospace manufacturing strength and product qualification know-how position us to lead in this exciting, emerging space.”

Airbus chose to work with Alcoa because of its comprehensive capabilities, from materials science leadership to additive manufacturing and aerospace parts qualification, Alcoa says in a news release. The agreement will draw on Alcoa’s decades of aerospace experience and new technologies gained through its recent acquisition of RTI and organic expansion in Whitehall, Michigan. Alcoa also recently invested in 3D-printing and metallic powder production capabilities at its technical center outside of Pittsburgh.

Last year, Alcoa acquired RTI International Metals (RTI)—now known as Alcoa Titanium & Engineered Products (ATEP)—which grew Alcoa’s additive manufacturing capabilities to include 3D-printed titanium and specialty metals parts produced at ATEP’s Austin, Texas, facility. The Airbus agreement will draw on these capabilities as well as on ATEP’s titanium ingot melting and billetizing, machining, finishing and inspection technologies.

Alcoa says it will employ CT scan and hot isostatic pressing (HIP) capabilities at its aerospace facility in Whitehall. HIP is a technology that strengthens the metallic structures of traditional and additive manufactured parts made of titanium and nickel-based superalloys, the company explains. Through a $22 million investment in the technology in Whitehall, Alcoa says it owns and operates one of the largest aerospace HIP technology complexes in the world.

Additionally, Alcoa is bolstering its additive manufacturing capabilities through a $60 million expansion in advanced 3D-printing materials and processes, including metallic powders. The expansion is located at the Alcoa Technical Center near Pittsburgh, which Alcoa describes as the world’s largest light metals research center.

Details of this agreement with Airbus were not disclosed.

Alcoa’s aerospace businesses will form part of the value-add company, to be named Arconic, following Alcoa’s separation in the second half of 2016. This recent agreement with Airbus is Alcoa’s latest with the company, building on last year’s fastening systems agreement valued at approximately $1 billion. That deal was Alcoa’s largest fastener contract ever with the aircraft manufacturer. Alcoa’s fasteners fly on every Airbus platform, the company says. 

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Source: Recycling Today
Alcoa to supply 3D-printed metal parts for Airbus aircraft
<![CDATA[Alcoa, with headquarters in New York City, has entered into an agreement with Airbus, headquartered in France, to supply 3D-printed titanium fuselage and engine pylon components for Airbus commercial aircraft, which it says it expects to begin to deliver in mid-2016. “We are proud to partner with Airbus to help pave the way to the future of aerospace development and manufacturing,” says Alcoa Chairman and Chief Executive Officer Klaus Kleinfeld. “The unique combination of our multimaterial alloy development expertise, powder production capabilities, aerospace manufacturing strength and product qualification know-how position us to lead in this exciting, emerging space.” Airbus chose to work with Alcoa because of its comprehensive capabilities, from materials science leadership to additive manufacturing and aerospace parts qualification, Alcoa says in a news release. The agreement will draw on Alcoa’s decades of aerospace experience and new technologies gained through its recent acquisition of RTI and organic expansion in Whitehall, Michigan. Alcoa also recently invested in 3D-printing and metallic powder production capabilities at its technical center outside of Pittsburgh. Last year, Alcoa acquired RTI International Metals (RTI)—now known as Alcoa Titanium & Engineered Products (ATEP)—which grew Alcoa’s additive manufacturing capabilities to include 3D-printed titanium and specialty metals parts produced…