Lockheed Martin, Sintavia Team Up to Advance Metal Additive Manufacturing
The collaboration is said to demonstrate Lockheed Martin’s commitment to the White House’s AM Forward initiative for expanding use of additive manufacturing and creating resilient supply chains.
Sintavia developed material parameters for alloy C103, a high-performance niobium alloy which is well suited for rocket, jet and satellite propulsion applications. Photo Credit: Business Wire
Lockheed Martin Corp. and Sintavia are collaborating to expand research of metal additive manufacturing (AM) opportunities as an alternative to castings and forgings. The companies say that AM (also known as 3D printing) has the capability to improve efficiencies in existing castings and forgings supply chains, and provide parts with a higher level of detail and greater design opportunities.
Sintavia is an AM supplier for Lockheed Martin, supporting several programs in the manufacture and production of metal additive parts. The new collaboration will explore additional AM technology areas, including laser powder bed fusion, electron beam-directed energy deposition and friction stir AM.
This enhanced relationship builds on the White House initiative “AM Forward,” announced by President Joe Biden in May. It is a voluntary compact aimed at strengthening U.S. supply chains by supporting U.S.-based suppliers’ adoption and deployment of AM.
Sintavia designs and 3D prints advanced propulsion and thermodynamic systems for customers in the aerospace and defense industry. It is a founding member of the Additive Manufacturer Green Trade Association which promotes the environmental benefits of AM over traditional methods of manufacturing.
“Sintavia and Lockheed Martin are committed to improving the capability, agility and competitiveness of the defense industrial supply base,” says Brian Neff, Sintavia’s founder and CEO. “Our partnership with Lockheed Martin seeks to identify and streamline manufacturing inefficiencies, specifically in the production of flight critical structures.”
Lockheed Martin is a global security and aerospace company that is principally engaged in the research, design, development, manufacture, integration and sustainment of advanced technology systems, products and services.
“Lockheed Martin’s collaboration with Sintavia demonstrates our dedication to the White House’s AM Forward campaign in reducing overall operating costs and strengthening our domestic supply chain, efforts that are in line with our 21st Century Security vision,” says David Tatro, vice president for Operations Process Transformation at Lockheed Martin.
- Read about Sintavia’s development of Niobium printing technology for aerospace and defense.
- Learn how scaling production at Sintavia reveals sustainability challenges with AM.
- Read about the initial participants in the AM Forward initiative which was announced during a presidential visit to United Performance Metals in Cincinnati, Ohio.
Related Content
-
This Year I Have Seen a Lot of AM for the Military — What Is Going On?
Audience members have similar questions. What is the Department of Defense’s interest in making hardware via 3D printing over conventional methods? Here are three manufacturing concerns that are particular to the military.
-
Why AM Leads to Internal Production for Collins Aerospace (Includes Video)
A new Charlotte-area center will provide additive manufacturing expertise and production capacity for Collins business units based across the country, allowing the company to guard proprietary design and process details that are often part of AM.
-
How Machining Makes AM Successful for Innovative 3D Manufacturing
Connections between metal 3D printing and CNC machining serve the Indiana manufacturer in many ways. One connection is customer conversations that resemble a machining job shop. Here is a look at a small company that has advanced quickly to become a thriving additive manufacturing part producer.
