3D Printing

OPM's New Aerospace Component Facility

Oxford Performance Materials (OPM) has announced the creation of a new manufacturing facility in South Windsor, CT, USA. close to OPM’s current HQ and facility. This Connecticut area, known for its advanced subtractive manufacturing technologies, is now rapidly becoming a leader in additive manufacturing (AM).

The facility will be used for the production of AM industrial and aerospace parts as well as R&D. The operation will include various processing and assembly capacities to support customer requirements.

“It has always been our intention to pivot from biomedical 3D printing to Mission Critical aerospace and industrial structures,” said Scott DeFelice, President and CEO of OPM. “This new facility will bring together world class technologies and capabilities in order to service the exacting demands of our customers in the fast evolving 3D printing marketplace.”

The first industrial grade 3D printer at the facility, an EOS INT P800, is scheduled to be installed this autumn, making OPM the only firm in the world with two EOSINT P 800 3D printers capable of printing high performance thermoplastics such as the firm’s proprietary poly-ether-ketone-ketone OXPEKK® (PEKK) polymer. The new OPM facility has been constructed to house up to six additional Selective Laser Sintering 3D printers.

EOSINT P 800 Plastic Laser Sintering System
The EOS INT P800 Selective Laser Sintering 3D Printer

Polyetherketoneketone (PEKK) is a semi-crystalline thermoplastic in the polyaryletherketone (PAEK) family, its notable properties include:

In order to take full advantage of 3D printing technologies, the firm will offer finite element analysis and a design service to aid the customer in component optimization. The facility will have AS9100C quality management systems and be International Traffic in Arms Regulations (ITAR) compliant.