TWI (www.twi-global.com) is taking the lead in the Open Architecture Additive Manufacturing (OAAM) project, which is designed to demonstrate the ability to manufacture large metallic components via additive manufacturing (AM) for the benefit of UK Aerospace.

The OAAM programme plans to develop directed energy deposition (DED) AM technologies that can be scaled up to produce components of multi-metre size.

TWI will work with project partners Airbus, Autodesk, Cranfield University, Glenalmond Group, the University of Bath, the University of Manchester and the University of Strathclyde to create three DED AM process platforms.

These will enable aerospace manufacturers and their supply chains to develop advanced AM manufacturing systems in the following fields: arc-wire/laser-wire AM (Cranfield University); electron beam wire AM (TWI, Cambridge); and laser-powder/laser-wire AM (TWI Technology Centre, Yorkshire).

Each of these systems will offer “unique AM capabilities” and address a number of common needs, including: scalable architecture solutions, with common CAD/CAM control interfacing; integrated process steps (such as NDT, machining, inspection and cold-working) as necessary for optimum implementation to aerospace requirements; and the ability to manufacture aerospace components using AM to TRL (technology readiness level) 6 or MRL (manufacturing readiness level) 4/5.

These new AM systems will be made available to UK industry and will ‘leverage’ key expertise resident within the hosting research organisations.

They will establish a fully quantifiable process designed to place UK suppliers at the forefront of the technology and AM research, thereby giving the UK aerospace sector access to next-generation manufacturing with a simplified lower-risk route to AM’s industrialisation and deployment into aircraft platforms.

It is anticipated that there will be a significant amount of “results overspill” into other sectors, including energy and marine.

The project is supported by Innovate UK.