Additive Manufacturing (AM)

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    Norsk Titanium to Deliver the World’s First FAA-Approved, 3D-Printed, Structural Titanium Components to Boeing

    Image courtesy of Norsk Titanium
    • Boeing 787 Dreamliner will be First Commercial Airplane to Fly with Certified Additive-Manufactured Titanium Parts in Structural Applications

     

    OSLO, Norway–April 10, 2017–(BUSINESS WIRE)– Norsk Titanium AS, the world’s pioneering supplier of additive-manufactured, structural titanium components today announced it has received a production purchase order for 3D-printed structural titanium components from Boeing (NYSE: BA) that are being produced by Norsk’s proprietary Rapid Plasma Deposition™ (RPD™) process.

    “We are proud to take this historical step with a great aerospace innovator like Boeing,” said Norsk Titanium President & Chief Executive Officer Warren M. Boley, Jr. “The Norsk Titanium team will continue to expand the portfolio of components supplied to Boeing meeting stringent certification requirements. It is an honor to earn FAA approval for these structural parts.”

    The World's First FAA-Approved, 3D-Printed, Structural Titanium Component as will fly on the Boeing 787 Dreamliner to Usher in a New Era of Ultra-Efficient On-Demand Manufacturing (Photo: Business Wire)
    The World’s First FAA-Approved, 3D-Printed, Structural Titanium Component as will fly on the Boeing 787 Dreamliner to Usher in a New Era of Ultra-Efficient On-Demand Manufacturing (Photo: Business Wire)

    Boeing designed the components and collaborated closely with Norsk Titanium throughout the development process. To certify these initial structural components on the Dreamliner, Boeing and Norsk Titanium undertook a rigorous testing program with FAA certification deliverables completed in February 2017. Norsk Titanium, with their wire-based RPD™ process, is the first supplier for Boeing’s high deposition rate material specification.

    Norsk Titanium's Patented MERKE IV Rapid Plasma Deposition Machine Producing the World's First FAA-Approved, 3D-Printed, Structural Titanium Components for the Boeing 787 Dreamliner (Photo: Business Wire)
    Norsk Titanium’s Patented MERKE IV Rapid Plasma Deposition Machine Producing the World’s First FAA-Approved, 3D-Printed, Structural Titanium Components for the Boeing 787 Dreamliner (Photo: Business Wire)

    “From the outset, the 787 has been the hallmark of innovation and efficiency,” said John Byrne, vice president, Airplane Materials and Structures, Supplier Management, Boeing Commercial Airplanes. “We are always looking at the latest technologies to drive cost reduction, performance and value to our customers and Norsk Titanium’s RPD™ capability fits the bill in a new and creative way.”

    The Dreamliner RPD™ components will be on display at the International Paris Airshow, Le Bourget, June 19-25, 2017 at Norsk Titanium’s booth in Hall 1, Space H299, along with a full-scale mock-up of the company’s patented MERKE IV™ Rapid Plasma Deposition™ machine that produced the pioneering structural parts.

    About Norsk Titanium AS
    Norsk Titanium AS is the world’s pioneering supplier of aerospace-grade, additive manufactured, structural titanium components. The company is distinguished in the aviation industry by its patented Rapid Plasma Deposition™ (RPD™) process that transforms titanium wire into complex components suitable for structural and safety-critical applications. Norsk Titanium is a tier-1 supplier to Boeing and is committed to cost-reducing aerostructures and jet engines for the world’s premier aerospace manufacturers. RPD™ is the world’s first FAA-approved, 3D-printed, structural titanium, delivering substantial lead-time and cost savings for aerospace, defense, and commercial customers. www.norsktitanium.com

    The Norsk Titanium Production Floor of the Future - Replacing Forged Parts with Precision Rapid Plasma Deposition Additive Manufactured Components for the Boeing 787 Dreamliner (Photo: Business Wire)
    The Norsk Titanium Production Floor of the Future – Replacing Forged Parts with Precision Rapid Plasma Deposition Additive Manufactured Components for the Boeing 787 Dreamliner (Photo: Business Wire)

    Source: Norsk Titanium AS

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