Nikon Advanced Manufacturing joins $5.5m aluminum alloy project

Nikon Advanced Manufacturing has joined the GOTHAAM project to develop a high-strength aluminum alloy for additive manufacturing. The $5.5 million project is funded by the Office of the Under Secretary of War’s Manufacturing Technology Office (OSW ManTech).

America Makes, based in Youngstown, Ohio, and the National Center for Defense Manufacturing and Machining (NCDMM), headquartered in Blairsville, Pennsylvania, selected Nikon AM as a project partner. General Atomics Aeronautical Systems was named the group leader in August.

GOTHAAM stands for Generation of Technical-data for High-strength Aluminum Alloy Material. The project aims to develop material data for a corrosion-resistant aluminum alloy equivalent to 7075-T73. The data will cover Laser Beam Powder Bed Fusion (PBF-LB) additive manufacturing systems in large, medium and small formats.

To know the global production, demand and consumption forecasts of aluminium extrusions, explore our report "The World of Aluminium Extrusions to 2035"

The aim is to support production of aerospace-grade aluminum components for defense and commercial applications.

John Martin, additive manufacturing research director at America Makes, said in August: “By delivering validated data and maturing LPBF capability, we’re giving US manufacturers what they need to produce reliable components for critical defense systems.”

Dr Behrang Poorganji, vice president of technology at Nikon AM, said the company would contribute its experience and large-format Nikon SLM Solutions laser powder bed fusion systems to the project.

Looking for aluminium flat rolled products? Browse through a comprehensive list here at AL Biz

“We are pleased to engage in another funded programme deeply rooted in a collaborative approach to accelerating AM qualification and certification,” Poorganji said. He added that the work would help establish qualification and verification processes for high-strength aluminum alloys used in durable additive-manufactured parts for the defense industry.

The project is led by General Atomics and includes Nikon AM, Lockheed Martin and Northrop Grumman. Other partners are Airbus Space & Defense, AP Works, MIMO Technik, Quadrus Corporation, Hadrian Additive and EOS America.

The team also includes Valimet, Toyal America, Equispheres, AMG Aluminum, Rio Tinto, Sunrise Metals, Nio Corp, Dyndrite and Scot Forge.