Aeromet, a manufacturer of cast and finished components to the Aerospace & Defence Industries, has developed an aluminium alloy for additive manufacturing (AM). Called A20X™, the patented powder is said to be one of the strongest aluminium materials of AM.
In a recent project that involves Rolls-Royce and Renishaw’s AM equipment, operators produced heat-treated parts using the new aluminium alloy. They have been able to achieve an Ultimate Tensile Strength (UTS) of 511 MPa, a Yield Strength of 440 MPa and Elongation of 13% – hence this qualification of high-strength aluminium in additive manufacturing.
Interestingly, 3D printed parts produced with A20X™ Powder maintain high-strength and fatigue properties even at elevated temperatures, outperforming other leading aluminium powders.
Mike Bond, Director of Advanced Material Technology at Aeromet, commented: “Since bringing the A20X™ alloy to market for additive manufacturing 5 years ago we have seen significant adoption for high-strength, design-critical applications. By working with Rolls-Royce, Renishaw and PSI we have optimised processing parameters that led to record-breaking results, opening up new design possibilities for aerospace and advanced engineering applications”.
A20X™ Powder for additive manufacturing results from the MMPDS-approved A20X™ Casting alloy, one of the strongest aluminium casting alloy, which is leveraged today by a global network of aerospace casting suppliers.
Aeromet is known for the development of unique solutions for complex parts. The company supplies various parts, including engine and fuel system components to winglets and doors, for a number of major OEMs, including Airbus, Boeing, BAE Systems and Rolls-Royce.
The HighSAP project, backed by the UK’s National Aerospace Technology Exploitation Programme (NATEP), was led by Aeromet and involved Rolls-Royce, Renishaw and atomisation experts PSI. Last year in April 2018, Aeromet confirmed it joined the HighSAP project alongside its partners.
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