Continuing the momentum of its recently launched Manufacturing Partner Network (MPN), award winning OEM GE Additive has announced three new 3D printing agreements at Farnborough International Airshow 2018.
The first of these agreements is with the aerospace branch of Honda R&D Co. Ltd. in Japan. The second is with international aerospace service, structure, system and support supplier Triumph Group, headquartered in Berwyn, Pennsylvania. Both companies will be leveraging GE Additive’s AddWorks consultancy packages to further their additive manufacturing strategy.
In the third and final announcement of the day, stainless steel manufacturer and distributor Carpenter Technology Corporation has become one of the first companies in GE Additive’s MPN.
Honda and GE
GE Additive announced its commercial launch in Japan June 2018, confirming direct and distribution sales of its Concept Laser and Arcam EBM machines.
With Honda R&D, GE Additive confirms its first ever AddWorks engagement in the country, and is cased with determining the economic and performance enhancements that can be made through additive.
AddWorks guidance will take place at the Honda Aircraft Engine R&D Center, home to the company’s next generation aircraft engines. Through the longstanding GE Honda Aero Engines joint venture between the two companies, Honda R&D and GE Additive sister branch GE Aviation previously worked to produce the GE Honda HF120 turbofan engine for business jets.
“We are pleased that Honda Aircraft Engine R&D Center has selected GE Additive to be its vendor in providing AddWorks consulting services to further the use of this transformative technology in its future generation aircraft engines,” comments Thomas Pang, Japan director of GE Additive.
“We are in the best position to share our learnings from our own additive journey, having started from prototyping to successfully applying it to mass production for aviation engine parts.”
Production ready additive manufacturing
In addition to AddWorks consultancy at the Triumph R&D facility in Seattle, GE Additive will be installing two new additive manufacturing systems at the site: a Concept Laser M2 Cusing Multilaser DMLM and an Arcam EBM Q20 plus.
With these new systems, Triumph Group is ramping-up its 3D printed production capacity. “Thus far,” says Dan Crowley, President & CEO, Triumph Group, “we have successfully used additive manufacturing for prototyping, and we are rapidly growing its use for design competency,”
“This partnership with GE Additive will strengthen our additive manufacturing capability, accelerating our ability to design and develop future on-wing solutions for our customers.”
Carpenter Tech becomes MPN launch partner
And finally, Carpenter Technology is set to expand its additive manufacturing services with powder material production and part printing through the GE Additive MPN.
“Partnering with an industry leader such as GE is an excellent opportunity for Carpenter to further advance our AM capabilities and network to bring highly differentiated AM business solutions to its customers and partners,” explains Tony R. Thene, CEO, Carpenter Tech.
“Being able to offer such depth of knowledge and experience in materials innovation, and in particular specialty alloys will be beneficial to companies using the MPN,” said Jason Oliver, President and CEO, GE Additive.
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Featured image shows Direct Metal Laser Melting solution from GE Additive. Photo via GE Reports/Chris New
