Essentium
Essentium has revealed more details of its multi-year collaboration with the United States Air Force which will look to enhance multiple facets of the organisation’s operations.
After securing a four-year contract earlier this year, Essentium will work to develop and deploy 3D printing applications in tooling, ground support, maintenance, repair and overhaul (MRO), and flight-certified parts for military aircraft and ground vehicles. These components will be delivered to the US Air Force and the National Guard Bureau (NGB) in a bid to save both services millions of dollars.
Working side by side, the partners will test and develop new materials and processes using the Essentium High Speed Extrusion (HSE) technology. The US Air Force is looking to tap into Essentium’s materials expertise to enable drop-in replacements for Military Specified materials, such as phenolics, and is targeting the certification of four times the quantity of materials at reduced cost and time than is currently possible with the technology solutions used by the Air Force. With this level of materials development and certification, combined with the capabilities of HSE technology, the Air Force believes it will be able to exhibit rapid part production at the point of use.
“Developing safety-critical aeroplane parts is closer than ever before due to cutting edge technology like Essentium’s additive manufacturing solution,” commented Nathan Parker, Deputy PEO, Rapid Sustainment Office, US Air Force. “Essentium demonstrated it has the expertise and capabilities to create parts with consistent replication using the Essentium HSE 3D printing platform. We will work together to drive additive manufacturing technology forward; for faster aircraft repairs that massively reduce time to deliver parts to keep our war fighters ready.”
The US Air Force has awarded Essentium this contract as part of its Strategic Financing (STRATFi) initiative, which has seen more than $550 million deployed to identify and advance ‘big bet’ technologies that have the potential to ensure ‘dominance’ of the US Air Force, while also supporting the ageing fleets of air and ground vehicles for NGB. Previously, the US Air Force has been known to ‘cannibalise’ parts from the ‘aircraft boneyard’ at Davis-Monthan Air Force Base, rather than go through the costly process of acquiring one or two components at a time.
In an effort to transform the way it works, the US Air Force has sought to contract the likes of GE Additive, Open Additive and Optomec to supply spare parts and refurbish turbine blades. Though its work with Essentium was disrupted earlier this year by the outbreak of COVID-19, the organisations are now ready to push on with their collaboration.
“The sky is the limit for the potential benefits of additive manufacturing for the US Air Force,” added Elisa Teipel, Ph.D., Chief Development Officer and co-founder at Essentium. “As well as reducing operating costs by tens of millions, the strategic capability we will work with our STRATFi partners to deliver through this programme will help bring about an end to the scenario of days of aircraft sitting on tarmac awaiting simple replacement parts which may be 3D printed and can get them flying again. We are beyond thrilled to be awarded this contract and work with our government customers to help drive significant advancement in military parts manufacturing and advance the US Air Force’s military leadership.”
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