Sandvik Additive Manufacturing says that its titanium powder plant and additive manufacturing (AM) operations in Sandviken, Sweden, have received AS9100 Revision D certification for use in the aerospace industry.
The plant, which makes titanium and nickel-based superalloys, was opened at the end of 2019 in Sandviken, Sweden. According to the company, the use of titanium powders for AM supports a growing trend towards the 3D printing of titanium parts and a shift towards sustainable manufacturing, since the additive process can result in less material waste than traditional subtractive techniques.
‘If combining this with the opportunities with a light and strong material like titanium, the sustainability advantages can be enormous,’ said Keith Murray, VP global sales, Sandvik Additive Manufacturing. ‘Weight reduction is for example a constant key issue for the aerospace industry, driven both by fuel cost and carbon footprint. The same is true for cars and trucks, and everything else that moves. Each kilogram of weight loss on an airplane saves about 3,000 US dollars per year in fuel.
The first two powders produced at the plant will be Osprey Ti-6Al-4V Grade 5 and Osprey Ti-6Al-4V Grade 23. Other alloys are available on request. In addition to AS9100D certification, the plant is also certified according to ISO 9001, ISO 14001 and ISO 45001.
This story uses material from Sandvik, with editorial changes made by Materials Today. The views expressed in this article do not necessarily represent those of Elsevier.
