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First Industrial-Scale 3D Printing Plant for Aerospace Metals Under Construction 14589First Industrial-Scale 3D Printing Plant for Aerospace Metals Under Construction

Ann R. Thryft

July 28, 2016

3 Min Read
First Industrial-Scale 3D Printing Plant for Aerospace Metals Under Construction

Norway-based additive manufacturing (AM) company Norsk Titanium is building what it says is the first industrial-scale 3D printing plant in the world for making aerospace-grade metal components. Located in New York, the plant will begin with 20 Norsk Titanium machines that will produce 400 metric tons each year of aerospace-grade, structural titanium parts.

The company has made a name by developing an AM technology to lower the cost of aerospace-grade, structural components made of titanium. Compared to components made with traditional forging and billet techniques, components made with its patented Rapid Plasma Deposition (RPD) technology are equally strong, but cost 30% to 75% less. They also have less material waste and require less finishing, according to the company fact sheet.

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About the Author(s)

Ann R. Thryft

Ann R. Thryft has written about manufacturing- and electronics-related technologies for Design News, EE Times, Test & Measurement World, EDN, RTC Magazine, COTS Journal, Nikkei Electronics Asia, Computer Design, and Electronic Buyers' News (EBN). She's introduced readers to several emerging trends: industrial cybersecurity for operational technology, industrial-strength metals 3D printing, RFID, software-defined radio, early mobile phone architectures, open network server and switch/router architectures, and set-top box system design. At EBN Ann won two independently judged Editorial Excellence awards for Best Technology Feature. She holds a BA in Cultural Anthropology from Stanford University and a Certified Business Communicator certificate from the Business Marketing Association (formerly B/PAA).

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