Collins Aerospace has acquired an NXG Xll 600 for its facility in West Des Moines, Iowa from SLM Solutions. The facility is a world leader in the design and production of engine nozzles and is now bringing that manufacturing expertise to additive. The new printer will help the company produce additively manufactured aerospace parts faster. This brings the total publicly disclosed number of NXG systems sold to 13 since the giant 12-laser metal L-PBF 3D printer was announced last year (however more machines were sold to yet undisclosed customers).

Additive manufacturing holds numerous potential benefits for aerospace systems, including improved performance, reduced weight and volume, reduced cost, reduced lead time, and optimized designs. Collins is among the world’s first ten customers to buy an NXG Xll 600, and the acquisition underscores the company’s commitment to additive manufacturing as it works to optimize production and provide additional value to its customers.

Gerhard Bierleutgeb, Executive Vice President of Global Services and Solutions at SLM Solutions, remarked on the successful continuous relationship between the two companies: “Collins Aerospace and SLM Solutions have been operating several SLM Solutions machines in different locations around the globe for a number of years now. The procurement of the latest generation NXG XII 600 shows that both parties have successfully managed to service and operate this technology in an aerospace production environment.”