Continuing a$17.8 million agreement和Oak Ridge National Laboratory（ORNL），英国跨国制造商GKN航天has commissioned a new large scale additive manufacturing production cell. Deemed “Cell 2” the system uses laser metal deposition with wire (LMD-w) technology and will be used to develop large aircraft components for GKN.
The commission is an advance on a five year project initially launched between the two partners in June 2017. The overall aim is to reduce the buy-to-fly ratio of material lost in conventional processes, creating cost competition with metal plate manufacturing and forging.
Cell 2, according to Mike McCann, the CEO of GKN Aerospace Aerostructures North America, is also believed to be “the largest laser metal deposition with wire (LMD-w) pilot production cell in the world.”
Leading additive manufacturing in aerospace
GKN航空航天供应和服务所有主要的飞机制造商。作为该条件的一部分，该公司开展了航空航天行业内的技术创新，包括大约三十年前最早在飞机组件中实施轻质材料的公司之一。自从添加剂制造的吸收以来，该公司一直在为这项技术做同样的事情。
GKN航天manufactures the engine nozzle for the阿里亚妮5火箭使用其专有的LMD-W技术，还拥有合同produce 3D printed turbines为了Ariane Group’sPrometheus engine and it is an early access partner of theHP Metal Jet系统。
2018年12月，该公司贡献了1700万英镑3200万英镑的全球技术中心in the UK, that will include additive manufacturing as part of its development roadmap.
正如该公司自豪地说的那样，“我们为强调航空航天行业的添加剂制造的无限可能性设定了标准，目前正处于全球技术领导力的尖端。”
8轴单元2
当GKN Aerospace在2017年与ORNL达成协议时，有一个双重焦点：首先开发其LMD-W工艺，其次是创建电子束熔化供电的沉积方法。正如在本协议达成时所说的那样，目的是“加快进步，以使这些过程充分工业化”。
The first GKN prototype additive manufacturing cell at ORNL has since succeeded in its production of engines and aerostructures, and has included the implementation of closed-loop control. Cell 2 builds upon the knowledge gained over the past two years. Features of the pilot system include a 52in x 32in max substrate size, 8-axis of motion, an inert environment, 20kW laser and two-sided deposition.
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特色图片显示了橡树岭国家实验室GKN Aerospace的Cell 2。通过GKN航空航天的照片
