Norsk Titanium building industrial-scale additive manufacturing plant in New York

Norsk Titanium U.S. is building the world’s first industrial-scale metal additive manufacturing plant by 2017 in Plattsburgh, New York. Officials at the aerospace structural company say the state of New York and the State University of New York (SUNY) Polytechnic Institute have placed an order for 20 Norsk MERKE IV Rapid Plasma Deposition (RPD) machines.

“We are proud to be a part of the unwavering vision and leadership of Gov. Cuomo and are moving forward in support of his efforts to revitalize upstate New York with jobs, technology and community pride,” says Norsk Titanium Chairman John Andersen Jr.

Norsk Titanium President and CEO Warren M. Boley Jr. adds, “Not only are we creating jobs, huge economic impact, and great visibility for the wider Plattsburgh community, we are also making history by kicking off a new phase of on-demand, near-net-shape manufacturing that sets a new benchmark of efficiency and customer responsiveness.”

SUNY Polytechnic Institute Vice President Christopher Walsh says the investment “will create good-paying, advanced manufacturing jobs in Plattsburgh while advancing New York’s leadership in this dynamic and growing industry.”

Under the terms of the deal, Norsk Titanium U.S. will provide additional investment into the Plattsburgh operation that is expected to bring the total program commitment to $1 billion throughout the initial 10-year period of operations. A $125 million New York investment in Norsk’s Plattsburgh factory was approved in the 2016-2017 state budget. New York has released an additional $4 million in planning funds for the Plattsburgh factory.

The company is also partnering with the North County Chamber of Commerce in Plattsburgh to support workforce training, economic development, and science, technology, engineering, and math (STEM) outreach including educational programs for SUNY Plattsburgh, local community colleges, and other schools in the region.

At the Farnborough Air Show, Norsk officials announced the company has received an order for titanium engineering test articles from The Boeing Co. produced by Norsk’s proprietary RPD process. The order involves Norsk producing titanium Ti-6Al-4V additive manufactured preforms, and delivering them to Boeing for further testing and evaluation. The manufacture, test, and analysis of the preforms is designed to demonstrate part-to-part repeatability and the operations processes necessary to enter into long-term production of structural components for fleet aircraft. www.norsktitanium.com

Technology for new industrial applications

BeAM Machines Inc., the first European manufacturer of metal 3D additive manufacturing machines using laser metal deposition (LMD) technology, has established operations in the United States, where the company also plans to manufacture its large-part metal additive machines with the support of Fives Machining.

Tim Bell, a 10-year veteran of additive manufacturing, will serve as general manager and vice president of business development for the U.S. subsidiary.

LMD consists of laser melted metallic powder fed through a deposition nozzle to create a layer-by-layer construction with CNC-controlled dimensions. BeAM is a spin-off of the French laser research center, and its machines support materials such as stainless steel, titanium, nickel alloys, and cobalt chromium.

“We’re looking to lead LMD industrial machine manufacturers in developing new applications in the field of manufacturing and repair,” Bell says.

BeAM machines for the U.S. market will be manufactured at one of the Fives’ machine tool facilities located in the U.S. www.beam-machines.com

Woodward joins Sigma Labs’ early adopter program

Designer, manufacturer, and service provider of aerospace control system solutions and components, Woodward Inc. has joined Sigma Labs Inc.’s early adopter program (EAP). Sigma Labs is a developer of advanced, in process, non-destructive quality inspection systems for metal-based additive manufacturing (AM) and other advanced manufacturing technologies. Sigma Labs’ EAP allows qualified customers to participate in evaluation and trial of the company’s software and engineering services. Woodward will obtain a non-exclusive license to use the complete suite of PrintRite3D software modules – Inspect, Contour and Analytics – for one price, with preferred rates for future product license purchases. Sigma Labs’ applications will be installed onto a new EOS M290 AM machine being purchased for Woodward’s Aircraft Turbine Systems Division in Zeeland, Michigan. www.woodward.com; www.sigmalabsinc.com