OPM Boeing OXFAB part
OXFAB Complex Structural Component Additively Manufactured by OPM for the Boeing CST-100 Starliner.
High-performance polymer supplier, Solvay has revealed it has been providing Oxford Performance Materials with highly innovative additive manufacturing lightweighting products.
The partnership has allowed OPM to accelerate the development and manufacture of components for its ambitious low-Earth orbit aerospace project at Boeing.
Boeing selected OPM as its supplier to additively manufacture 3D printed structures back in January. The parts are to be used in the production of the Boeing CST-100 Starliner spacecraft, which is designed to take up to seven passengers to low-Earth orbit destinations, such as the International Space Station. Solvay’s supply of durable materials has enabled OPM to begin shipping parts to Boeing already.
Armin Klesing, Global Business Development Manager for Aerospace at Solvay’s Specialty Polymers Global Business Unit, believes this partnership with OPM represents the company’s status in the additive manufacturing sector.
“Solvay has positioned itself as the material science leader for AM technologies and processes for very challenging advanced transportation applications,” said Klesing. “Consistent product quality and robust supply chain security are essential factors to manufacture very high standard parts on time in this fast-growing market.”
Boeing
Boeing CST-100 Starliner
Oxford Performance Materials has been selected by The Boeing Company to manufacture 3D-printed structures for the Boeing CST-100 Starliner spacecraft.
OPM was selected by Boeing for the CST-100 Starliner project because of its apparent capabilities in producing parts that consistently perform in demanding space environments. Specifically, Boeing has requested components that will contribute to a lighter weight spacecraft and be quick to produce. Solvay’s contribution to meeting this demand has been greatly appreciated by OPM and influenced a promising start to the manufacturing of the CST-100.
“From the project’s inception, we needed to provide not only significant weight and cost savings but also a drastic cut in lead-times,” said Bernard Plishtin, Chief Business Development Officer, Oxford Performance Materials. “This was made possible by Solvay’s reliable supply of high performance materials for our specific additive manufacturing processes for 3D printed aerospace structures.”
Solvay is a leading producer of specialty polymers with cutting-edge AM material solutions for Fused Filament Fabrication (FFF) and Selective Laser Sintering (SLS). The company is also a reputable strategic supplier to the aerospace industry. With facilities in the US, France and Belgium, Solvay offers a range of products, such as AvaSpire polyaryletherketone (PAEK) and KetaSpire polyetheretherketone (PEEK) for FFF, and polyetherketoneketone (PEKK) and Sinterline Technyl PA6 powders for SLS processes.
