Alcoa to Supply Airbus with 3D Printed Aircraft Parts

Alcoa, a global light metal industry leader, announced that it has reached an agreement with Airbus to provide 3D printed titanium fuselage and engine components for the latter's commercial aircraft. Alcoa expects to deliver the first batch of additive-manufactured components to Airbus by mid-2016.

“We are proud to work with Airbus to pave the way for the future development and manufacturing of the aerospace industry,” said Klaus Kleinfeld, Chairman and CEO of Alcoa Corporation. “We are developing multi-material alloys, powder manufacturing capabilities, and aviation. The many strengths in aerospace manufacturing capabilities and product inspections have made Alcoa a leader in this exciting new field."

Airbus chose Alcoa because of its comprehensive capabilities: from leadership in materials science to experience in additive manufacturing and aerospace parts quality certification.

In order to enhance its strength in additive manufacturing, Alcoa completed a series of major moves in the past year, including the acquisition of RTI and expanders at its advanced manufacturing facility in Whitehall, Michigan. It also invested $60 million in the Pittsburgh Technology Center to develop 3D printing technology and metal powder materials. It seems that these actions are not related to Airbus’s contract.

For example, Alcoa enhanced its 3D printing capabilities for titanium and specialty metals by acquiring RTI and its Austin facility. RTI has now been renamed Alcoa Titanium & Engineered Products (ATEP). The agreement with Airbus will also make full use of ATEP's titanium ingot melting, billing, machining, surface treatment and inspection technologies.

In addition, Alcoa will use its advanced CT scanning and hot isostatic pressing (HIP) capabilities at its Whitehall facility. HIP is a technology that strengthens metal parts by high temperature and high pressure and can enhance titanium and nickel-base superalloy parts produced using conventional manufacturing and additive manufacturing. Due to its $22 million technology investment in the Whitehall plant, Alcoa currently has one of the world's largest aerospace hot isostatic pressure technology equipment.

Alcoa did not disclose the details of this cooperation agreement with Airbus.