GKN Aerospace Partners with Arcam to Industrialize Additive Process

GKN Aerospace (Redditch, U.K.) has entered a strategic partnership with Arcam AB (Mölndal, Sweden) to develop and industrialize a new additive manufacturing process for the future aerospace market. The joint technology development partnership is focused on developing electron beam melting (EBM), a process in which metal components are built up in lasers using a metal powder melted by an electron beam. The process is said to produce precise, complex small to medium-size components that require little finishing.

As part of the agreement, GKN is installing two Arcam Q20 EBM machines at its Bristol, U.K., additive manufacturing facility. GKN Aerospace and Arcam engineers will work together to create the next generation of EBM equipment, with the goal of manufacturing complex titanium structures in high volumes for future aerospace demands.