Alcoa to Expand Additive Manufacturing Operations

It may sometimes seem as though our world changes overnight, but change happens slowly. Although additive manufacturing (AM) has been around for over two decades, the technology has received a surge of interest in the last five years. More and more companies are investing in AM and betting future business will rely at least in part on 3D printing.

Alcoa is the latest business to make a serious investment in AM, joining companies such as GE and Ford. Founded over a century ago, Alcoa is largely involved with aluminum manufacturing, and already possesses AM experience. The construction of a new facility in Pennsylvania dedicated to developing AM expands its 3D printing capabilities, and positions the company for a future that increasingly looks to AM.

Artist’s depiction of Alcoa’s new AM facility in Pennsylvania. Courtesy of Alcoa.

“Alcoa is investing in the next generation of 3D printing for aerospace and beyond,” said Alcoa chairman and CEO Klaus Kleinfeld. “Combining our expertise in metal alloys, manufacturing, design and product qualification, we will push beyond the limits of today’s additive manufacturing. This investment strengthens our leadership position in meeting fast-growing demand for aerospace components made using additive technologies.”

For Alcoa, the next generation of AM technology is called Ampliforge. This hybrid approach uses 3D design and AM to build a partially complete object. Final production is done through more traditional forms of manufacturing, such as forging. According to Alcoa, the combination of manufacturing approaches leads to stronger parts than those made with just AM alone.

The new Pennsylvania facility is expected to be operational by the first quarter of 2016. The facility will be used for AM research into materials, processes and qualification. Materials research will focus on aluminum, titanium and nickel powders. Process and design will continue to develop the Ampliforge process and develop a toolset for working with AM. Qualification will tackle the process of certifying AM-built parts for use.

Prior to the announcement, Alcoa had already made moves to improve its AM holdings with the acquisition of RTI International Metals. The acquisition gave Alcoa access to AM capabilities in titanium and plastic, along with access (or increased access) to aerospace, oil & gas, and medical markets.

Below you’ll find a video about Alcoa.

Source: Alcoa