Collins Aerospace
Collins Aerospace leaders join with Iowa Governor Kim Reynolds to cut the ribbon on a $14 million additive manufacturing center expansion at the company's facility in West Des Moines.
Almost a year to the day that ground was broken on the project, Collins Aerospace, an RTX business, has announced the opening of a 14 million USD expansion of its additive manufacturing centre in West Des Moines, Iowa. The 9,000-square-foot addition provides space for the site to house several new state-of-the-art 3D metal printers according to Collins.
Collins says the first printer installed has eight times the build volume of the existing printers in the facility, increasing its additive manufacturing capabilities.
“From supporting the backlog in commercial aircraft to enabling future platforms, and reducing carbon emissions to providing supply chain relief, additive manufacturing is poised to play an integral role in the future of the aerospace and defense industry," said Renee Begley, West Des Moines site lead for Collins Aerospace. "Additive manufacturing has the potential to help us reduce weight, complexity, lead time and cost in the parts we supply, and this expansion represents an investment in our business to help deliver those benefits to our customers."
Read more:
Magellan Aerospace signs agreement with Collins Aerospace for complex castings
PrintSky embarks on Collins Aerospace Project to develop New Generation of Actuation Systems
Collins Aerospace opens new additive manufacturing centre to expand global repair capabilities
According to Collins, its West Des Moines facility is a world leader in the design and production of engine components and military aircraft. The new printers will allow the site to explore additive production of these components, building on the multiple land-based turbine components already in production.
The facility is one of eight in the U.S. to receive the National Aerospace and Defense Contractors Accreditation Program (NADCAP) certification for Additive Manufacturing.
"Since 1933 when Collins was founded in Cedar Rapids, Iowa has been proud to be a home to this global manufacturing powerhouse," stated Governor Kim Reynolds. "Today's expansion in West Des Moines is a testament to the commitment Collins Aerospace has made to our state, and we're equally committed to providing the strong economic environment that will fuel its innovation here for decades more to come."
Collins Aerospace says that 3D printing is a “critical focus area” for the company, as it maintains a network of additive manufacturing production centres in Iowa, Minnesota, North Carolina and Singapore, along with an additive research centre in Connecticut.
