Solar Atmospheres, Hermitage, Pa., has successfully processed the first FAA-Certified structural additively manufactured Ti-6Al-4V parts. These components were produced by Norsk Titanium AS, and are destined for installation on a Boeing airplane. The vacuum stress relief was compliant with the stringent AMS 2801 and other OEM specifications.
Norsk Titanium’s printing technology of these aft galley supports, along with other flight-critical components, signals the ancillary cost benefits that customers may realize with additive manufacturing: lead time reduction, lower inventory requirements, and continuity assurances for future spare parts. Solar Atmospheres processed the initial production components for Norsk in March.
Norsk’s U.S. facility in Plattsburg, New York, will produce multiple 3D printed components for the world’s premier commercial aircraft OEMs. The company is also exploring other applications in the defense sector, such as next-generation aircraft, naval vessels, and land-based vehicles.
According to Bob Hill, President of Solar Atmospheres of Western PA, “We are extremely proud to partner with innovative additive-manufacturing companies such as Norsk Titanium. Today, we can clearly see how this revolutionary manufacturing process has departed from the hype realm and is entering into everyday reality.”
