Norsk Titanium, the company providing Rapid Plasma Deposition (RPD) additive manufacturing to the aerospace industry, has reached a new milestone in its relationship with Boeing. In its latest update Norsk has successfully characterized its RPD process as part of the Boeing Material Allowables Program. In addition, all pre-production requirements have been met, and so some structural titanium parts will be suitable for long -term production using Norsk 3D printing.

Michael Canario, Norsk President and CEO, comments, “We have prepared all necessary production operations facilities, equipment and personnel to coincide with this Boeing milestone enabling high-rate production following qualification,”

“Our Plattsburgh, New York facility is truly a 21st century advanced additive manufacturing center of excellence, and the work of the Norsk and Boeing teams to prepare for this moment has been outstanding.”

Norsk Titanium and Boeing

Norsk has been in partnership with the American airplane giant for several years and was added to the Boeing Approved Supplier List in 2015. In 2017, the Boeing 787 Dreamliner became the first airplane to install flight-integral RPD 3D printed parts and, since then, Norsk has been in continuous production.

The company’s Plattsburgh facility was added to the Boeing Qualified Producers List in June 2018, verifying the quality and repeatability of 3D printed parts.

“Following the initial success,” Canario adds, “our relationship and activities with Boeing have continued to expand.”

“We are currently conducting more testing to expand the list of potential part candidates and exploring improvements in the machine to deliver larger, more complex parts.”

Norsk raising the standards

Outside of Boeing, Norsk Titanium has developed partnerships with other leading aerospace OEMs including Spirit AeroSystems, which recently received its first RPD 3D printed part.

Most recently, global standards body SAE International gave its technical specifications for RPD technology, which will encourage adoption from other OEMs and aim in the standardization of the process.

According to Norsk, in approximately 11 months it has completed five sets of materials standards, taking the total up to 9 from the 4 completed prior to the 2018 Farnborough Airshow.

Norsk Titanium will be displaying its RPD technology at the 2019 International Paris Air Show this week until June 20. The company’s display is in hall 3, at booth D30.

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Featured image shows a bed of the first RPD produced titanium components for the Boeing 787 Dreamliner. Photo via Norsk Titanium