Aeromet, Partners Awarded Funding to Develop AM Metal Powder
An industry-led program awarded the group of companies funding to optimize A20X aluminum powder for use in additive manufacturing of aerospace parts.
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A group of companies led by Aeromet International have been awarded funding from the National Aerospace Technology Exploitation Programme (NATEP) to further develop A20X advanced aluminum powder for additive manufacturing (AM). As part of the High Strength Aluminum Powder for Additive Manufacture (HighSAP) project, the company and its partners Renishaw, Rolls-Royce and PSI are set to optimize the alloy for use in AM and produce a set of demonstrator parts.
NATEP, an Aerospace Growth Partnership initiative, is an industry-led program that supports UK companies in the aerospace supply chain in developing innovative technologies.
A20X is an aluminum-copper alloy with a highly refined microstructure and a solidification mechanism that gives it greater strength, fatigue and thermal characteristics compared to other alloys. Castings made with the alloy are in production for high-strength, high-temperature aerospace applications, and the HighSAP project aims to exploit its potential for additive manufacturing.
“We are very pleased to have been awarded NATEP funding for this exciting project,” says Mike Bond, director of advanced material technology at Aeromet. “By working with our partners, we hope to further develop our powder technology and create a new option for high-strength additive manufactured parts.”
“Renishaw is very pleased to be a part of this project and for the innovative new A20X aluminum powder to be further developed using Renishaw’s additive manufacturing systems and network of solutions centers,” says Dr. Martin McMahon, business development manager of global solutions centers at Renishaw.
“Rolls-Royce is excited to participate in this project and contribute to the development of this very promising new aluminum alloy,” says Paul Murray, principal materials engineer at Rolls-Royce.
“PSI is very pleased to be a partner in this project which aligns very well with our strategy of optimizing powders for additive manufacturing,” says Dr. Gordon Kerr of PSI Ltd. PSI technology combines VIM with inert gas atomization and this project will utilize our knowledge of processing and handling aluminum alloy powders.”
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