Norsk Titanium and Airbus have signed a collaboration agreement to jointly develop and document the DED Process for Norsk Titanium’s Rapid Plasma Deposition (RPD) technology.
Through the partnership, Airbus will install a Norsk Titanium Merke IV RPD machine at its production facility in Varel, Germany. The companies will then focus on joint technical evaluation of RPD manufacturing processes, controls, and validation data to support the transition from part-specific qualification to broader process-based methodologies for specific titanium products.
Assessing the industrial application potential of RPD, reviewing technical data and documentation, is part of a broader strategy at Airbus to advance 'diverse Direct Energy Deposition' solutions within its manufacturing workflows. Though early in the industrialisation process, Airbus and Norsk are confident RPD technology can offers 'significant savings on cost and time.'
Norsk's Merke IV system is a 4th-generation machine that, depending on part size and geometry, is capable of producing between 10-20 metric tons of titanium parts annually. It boasts a build envelope of 900 x 600 x 300 mm and a deposition rate of 5-10kg/hour. It is powered by Norsk's proprietary RPD technology, which has been leveraged by the likes of Boeing and General Atomics Aeronautical Systems.
This cooperation agreement on process development with Airbus follows the long-term Master Supply Agreement, which sees Norsk supply RPD raw material to Varel to support A350 production, announced in 2024.
“This agreement marks a pivotal milestone in the enduring technical partnership between Norsk Titanium and Airbus, acting as a catalyst for the adoption of additive manufacturing technologies at Airbus,” said Fabrizio Ponte, CEO of Norsk Titanium. “With a standardised process, it will be easier to transition parts to RPD and to bring many more parts into scope over time. This will support Airbus’ pioneering work to implement DED in more applications.”
