Alcoa to expand additive mfg. research in Pittsburgh

Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania – Alcoa is expanding its R&D center in Pennsylvania to accelerate the development of advanced 3D-printing materials and processes. Alcoa will produce materials designed specifically for a range of additive technologies to meet increasing demand for complex, high-performance 3D-printed parts for aerospace and other high-growth markets such as automotive, medical, and building and construction.

The $60 million expansion is under construction at the Alcoa Technical Center, the world’s largest light metals research center near Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania.

“Alcoa is investing in the next generation of 3D printing for aerospace and beyond,” says 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.”

Demonstrating this integrated strategy, the company has unveiled its Ampliforge process, a technique combining advanced materials, designs, and additive and traditional manufacturing processes. Using the Ampliforge process, Alcoa designs and 3D-prints a near complete part, then treats it using a traditional manufacturing process, such as forging. The company has shown that the process can enhance the properties of 3D-printed parts, such as increasing toughness and strength, versus parts made solely by additive manufacturing.

Further, the Ampliforge process significantly reduces material input and simplifies production relative to traditional forging processes. Alcoa is piloting the technique in Pittsburgh and Cleveland.

The company’s approach to advancing additive manufacturing includes:

• Materials Leadership: Alcoa’s material scientists will produce proprietary aluminum, titanium, and nickel powders designed specifically for 3D-printing. These powders will be tailored for various additive manufacturing processes to produce higher strength 3D-printed parts, and meet other quality and performance requirements. Alcoa has a long history in metal alloy and powder development, having invented more than 90% of the aluminum alloys used in aerospace today and with a 100-year history in aluminum metal powder development for rocket fuel, paint, and other products.
• Combination of Process and Design: Alcoa will further its development of advanced 3D-printing design and manufacturing techniques—such as Alcoa’s Ampliforge process—to improve production speeds, reduce costs, and achieve geometries not possible through traditional methods. By connecting materials scientists with manufacturing experts, Alcoa enables a rapid development feedback loop to inform new software tools and processes that take full advantage of additive capabilities.
• Qualification Expertise: Alcoa will use its testing and process control expertise to overcome challenges with certifying new 3D-printed parts, starting with aerospace applications.

This expansion of the Alcoa Technical Center builds on Alcoa’s additive manufacturing capabilities in California, Georgia, Michigan, Pennsylvania, and Texas. The company has been creating 3D-printed tools, molds, and prototypes for the past 20 years. Through the recent RTI acquisition, Alcoa gained 3D printing capabilities in titanium, other specialty metals and plastics for the aerospace, oil and gas, and medical markets. This expansion positions Alcoa to industrialize its advanced 3D printing capabilities across these and other manufacturing facilities.

Construction of the new facility is expected to be completed in the first quarter of 2016. The project will create more than 100 full-time positions – including materials specialists, design experts, and process and inspection technologists – by 2017 and approximately 45 temporary jobs during construction.

Source: Alcoa