GKN Aerospace and US Air Force Research Laboratory launch $8.4 million TITAN-AM program
Partnership targets industrialization of laser-based titanium deposition for large aerostructures
GKN Aerospace has launched TITAN-AM (Titanium Industrialization and Technology Advancement for Near-net Additive Manufacturing), an $8.4 million program developed in partnership with the US Air Force Research Laboratory (AFRL).
The initiative is focused on advancing Laser Metal Deposition with Wire (LMD-w) technology for large-scale aerospace structural applications, and work on the program will be carried out at GKN Aerospace’s Global Technology Center in Fort Worth, Texas, which serves as a base for advanced manufacturing collaboration with US defense and aerospace partners.
TITAN-AM will address five areas required to qualify LMD-w for aerospace structural use: industrialization of the process for large-scale titanium components; development of titanium material datasets to support structural performance and reliability; advanced simulation capabilities for structural design and manufacturing; non-destructive inspection (NDI) techniques adapted for additive manufacturing; and demonstration of the technology on selected structural components.
The program also targets reductions in material waste, shorter production lead times, and greater design freedom for complex aerostructures.
“TITAN-AM represents a significant step forward in additive manufacturing for aerospace structures. By combining our deep manufacturing expertise with AFRL’s vision, we aim to accelerate the readiness of LMD-w technology and demonstrate its value on operational titanium structural components,” said David Bond, CTO Airframes at GKN Aerospace.
GKN Aerospace expanded its Newington, Connecticut, facility in the latter half of last year, with the launch of a new production line dedicated to the additive fabrication of the Fan Case Mount Ring (FCMR).
The company will also host the SAE International Aerospace Materials Specifications Additive Manufacturing Metals Committee‘s next face-to-face meeting at its facility in Trollhättan, Sweden, at the start of May.
