Boeing [BA] and Oerlikon [OERL] have signed a five-year collaboration agreement to develop standard materials and processes for metal-based additive manufacturing (AM).
Boeing and Oerlikon will use the data from this collaboration to support the qualification of AM suppliers to produce metallic components using a variety of machines and materials. The research will initially focus on industrializing titanium powder bed fusion AM and ensuring parts made with this process meet the flight requirements of the Federal Aviation Administration and Department of Defence. The strong collaboration between Boeing and Oerlikon will enable the companies to meet the current challenges to qualify materials and processes for aerospace and provide a route for the adoption of AM with a qualified supply chain that achieves quality and cost targets.
Since 1997, Boeing has implemented AM in the aerospace industry and currently has about 50,000 3D-printed parts flying on commercial, space and defence programs.
