Alcoa to supply Airbus with additive manufactured parts
NEW YORK — Alcoa said Thursday it has entered into an agreement with Airbus to supply 3D-printed titanium fuselage and engine pylon components for Airbus commercial aircraft.
Alcoa said in a press release it expects to deliver the first additive manufactured parts to Airbus in mid-2016.
Financial details of the agreement with Airbus were not disclosed.
“We are proud to partner with Airbus to help pave the way to the future of aerospace development and manufacturing,” said Alcoa Chairman and Chief Executive Officer Klaus Kleinfeld.
Alcoa said Airbus chose to work with it because of its comprehensive capabilities, from materials science leadership to additive manufacturing and aerospace parts qualification.
It said the agreement will draw on Alcoa’s decades of aerospace experience and new technologies gained through the recent acquisition of RTI and organic expansion in Whitehall, Mich.
Alcoa also recently invested in 3-D-printing and metallic powder production capabilities at its technical center outside of Pittsburgh.