32,000-square-foot factory will house rapid plasma deposition machine.
Norsk Titanium AS has broken ground on a new European assembly and testing center dedicated to its MERKE IV Rapid Plasma Deposition (RPD) machine.
The MERKE IV RPD melts titanium wire in an inert argon gas environment before depositing it in layers, forming a near-net shape. These RPD parts are then completed by finish machining centers, with projected annual yields of 22 metric tons of aerospace-grade components.
According to the company, this approach reduces production costs by 50 to 75 percent, compared to forging and billet manufacturing techniques.
The RPD will be paired with a heat treating oven and a multi-axis CNC machining center. This will form an end-to-end Ultra Lean Manufacturing line for aerospace components. The company expects the facility to convert titanium wire into finished aerospace parts in a production line approximately 30m (98ft) long.
“Titanium wire comes in one end, the CAD drawing is input, and finished aerospace parts that are fully tested, heat treated and ready for installation are produced in a matter of days,” said Warren M. Boley Jr., CEO of Norsk Titanium.
“Customer demand for our additive manufacturing technology is growing to the point where we need significantly more space to assemble and test our MERKE IV RPD machines,” said Chris Bohlmann, senior VP of operations.
The facility is under construction outside Oslo, Norway and scheduled for completion October 2016.
For more information, visit the Norsk Titanium website.
