New “Letter of Intent” might enable BEAMIT to achieve its ‘One Stop Shop’ approach, driven by market demand, technological evolution and inclusion of new processes and new accreditations.
Ever since it became a partially-owned company by SANDVIK, BEAMIT Group continuously makes great strides to maintain a leading position in the AM industry – be it through new acquisitions or new collaborations as it is the case here. The company has just signed a non-binding letter of intent (the “LOI”) with Avio Aero and GE Additive to support the development of a post-processing solution for certain additively manufacturing components for the GE9X and Catalyst engines.
BEAMIT’s primary mission here is to decrease the lead times necessary to fabricate components, including machining and testing processes. On the other hand, the AM services provider is also expected to support new modalities under development at Avio Aero with super-cleaning and super-finishing surfaces.
BEAMIT is an advanced user of GE Additive’s portfolio. The company leverages a fleet of Concept Laser and Arcam EBM machines including the Mlab, M2 and X Line platforms, as well as two Q10plus machines across its subsidiaries – Pres-X and Zare –. This collaboration agreement will go beyond the development of post-processing machinery and technologies to meet long-term production needs.
GE Additive would become BEAMIT’s strategic equipment supplier, and together the two companies will work on a number of strategic projects, which may ultimately lead to a dedicated, fully digitalized and sustainable production line in the future.
One of these projects include BEAMIT’s support in the development of GE Additive’s Concept Laser M Line Factory system. GE Additive explains in a press release, that both teams will qualify the M Line specifically for aerospace components in accordance with the necessary qualitative requirements. Moreover, BEAMIT would file for and obtain the aerospace qualification for a dedicated R&D division that it would establish.
In the mid-term future, as GE and BEAMIT grow together, BEAMIT has the intention to further expand its operations and develop a completely digitalized and sustainable production line, dedicated to the production of “engine ready” components, for assembly, where the GE parts will be produced. In parallel with this LOI, BEAMIT has recently opened a brand new facility, fully dedicated to coatings, in order to enhance the special process range available for the wider aerospace sector, a press release explains.
The projects contemplated by the LOI go a long way to help BEAMIT achieve its ‘One Stop Shop’ approach, which is driven by market demand, technological evolution and the inclusion of new processes and new accreditations. Today, the entire BEAMIT Group is covered by five NADCAP accreditations – with three new others in progress – and by the TULPS for defense sector activities. BEAMIT has also started the ISO 14001, ISO 45001 and EASA part 21 pathway.
“Our strategic and industrial partnership with our shareholder Sandvik gives us a competitive advantage when it comes to leading materials expertise, materials development capabilities and supply of the widest range of alloys. Now, making the ‘One Stop Shop’ concept a reality, together with the digital integration of the entire value chain is a differentiating element, which can play an essential role in making additive manufacturing even more sustainable – without a waiver to the technical advantages offered by technology. In Avio Aero and GE Additive, we have found companies who share a similar strategic vision and a strong focus on the research of new materials for additive manufacturing as well as new technologies,” said Andrea Scanavini, Group General Manager, BEAMIT Group.
“Ultimately, the digitalized factory is a key element of our mid-term strategy to enable a win-win relationship with GE. A dedicated factory where all the manufacturing phases are installed and directly interconnected allows us to reach the maximum grade of efficiency, high productivity and total quality required by GE,” he added.
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