GKN Aerospace
Additive Manufacturing
Laura Ely
Manager, Additive Manufacturing Technology Center (North America)
GKN Aerospace Proprietary
| April 7, 2015
GKN Aerospace
 $3.2Bn Global Aerospace company, 37 sites in 9 countries, 12,300 people
 Market leader in airframe structures, engine components and transparencies
 Increasing investment in technology and focused on deployment
 Growing global footprint as part of drive for increasing competitiveness
Headquarters:
Redditch, UK
Aerostructures North America
Aerostructures Europe
Engine Systems
Special Products Group
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World Class Product Portfolio
Global
#3
Aerostructures
47% of Sales 2014
Wing
Engine structures
Global
#2
47% of Sales 2014
Fuselage
Nacelle and
Pylon
Global
#1/2
6% of Sales 2014
Engine Systems and Services
Engine structures
Special
products
Engine rotatives
Transparencies
and Ice Protection
Systems
J-UCAS Fuselage
A380 Fixed Trailing Edge
B747-8 Exhaust
B787 Anti-icing System
A350XWB Rear Spar
CH53K Aft Fuselage
A400M Engine Intake
V22 Fuel Tanks
A330 Flap Skins
B787 Floor Grid
B767 Winglet
HondaJet Fuselage
B787 Cabin Windows
B787 Inner Core Cowl
Full Engine MRO and support
Ariane 5 Exhaust nozzle
F35 Canopy
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Global Technology Locations
Luleå University
of Technology
University of
Connecticut
USA
EWI
Cincinnati
CAMT
Santa Ana
El Cajon
Cinnaminson
Sweden
(Powder Metals)
University
of Ulster
St. Louis
UK University of
Oak Ridge
National
Laboratories
The University
of Birmingham
Sheffield
AMRC
MTC
The University
of Warwick
Filton
TWI
Imperial
College
Trollhättan
University West
Chalmers University
of Technology
Australia
GKN Aerospace Metallic R&D Centre Of Excellence
GKN Aerospace Metallic Site based R&D Locations
CSIRO
GKN Aerospace Metallic Main Academic Partners
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Monash
University
AM Technology Evolution
> > > Equipment Size > > >
PBF
L
EB
DED - EBAM
EB
L
DED - Other
P
L
Focused on Transition from Prototyping to Production
Business Case Drives AM Technology Selection and Build Strategy
GKN Sees Market Potential for Large Metallic Structures Fabricated using AM
http://img.deusm.com/designnews/2013/02/258652/144950_758261.jpg, http://www.3ders.org/images/3d-printed-parts-fighter-1.png
http://d2n4wb9orp1vta.cloudfront.net/resources/images/cdn/cms/0114HPC_WIP_S111_54_20_000LG_outlined.jpg
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Powder Bed Production for Aerospace Parts
Build Strategy
Today
Net shape production of existing
parts, Partial Optimization
Existing Ti part
machined from
solid
Fully Design Optimized Parts /
Systems
Replace existing
with net shape
manufactured by
AM. Results in
13x reduction in
waste
Only requires finish
machining. Reduces
machining time along
with material results
in 25% reduction in
cost
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Tomorrow
Tailored Microstructures,
Functionally Graded Materials
Next
generation
optimized
structure
ReCAD from
full
optimization to
realistic flying
part
Example Applications – Powder Bed
DEPOSITION
DESIGNATED
ICON
POWDER BED
PLASMA
EB
LASER
LASER
LASER
EB
BINDER
(WIRE)
(WIRE)
(WIRE)
(POWDER)
(POWDER)
(POWDER)
(POWDER)
P
EB
L
L
L
EB
Titanium structural parts
On case by case basis can demonstrate significant savings on near net replacement
Integrated systems, structural optimization for higher performance and further cost
reductions
Functional systems for Acoustic liners or embedded Anti-ice
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B
Free Form Fabrication for Large Aerospace Parts
Today
Small Deposited Features
Build Strategy
Medium/Large Deposited
Features
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Tomorrow
100% Deposited Parts
Demonstrator As Deposited
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Technology Development and Implementation
Supply Chain Solution
GKN is Current Supplier to all Major Aerospace OEMs
Enable Transition from Prototyping to Full Rate Production
Understand Full Product Life Cycle – Material, Process, Product, Inspection, Quality
Business Case / Cost Models
Diverse set of technology capabilities
How to use, when to use, when not to use
Active Collaborations with Major Airframe and Engine OEMs
Cost Reduction
Weight Reduction
Product
Performance Improvement
Cycle Time Reduction
Material
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Process
Engineering that moves the world
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