France’s Safran Group, one of the world’s largest aerospace firms, has announced that it is to open a 68 million euro additive-manufacturing campus in Bordeaux. Named Campus Safran Additive, this is expected to create 200 jobs in engineering, production and R&D (the Safran Group was created in 2005 by the merger of Snecma and Sagem; it now has three main divisions: aerospace propulsion, aircraft equipment and defence).

For more than a decade, Safran (www.safran-group.com) has been applying 3-D printing technology, having collaborated with Airbus to 3-D print a titanium hydraulic part for the A350.

To manufacture aerospace parts, Safran uses industrial metal 3-D printers such as the EOSINT 270 DMLS machine and Trumpf’s TruLaser Cell 7020. Fully functional 3-D printed parts have been installed on aircraft and helicopter engines (such as the Safran Aneto and the Arrano, which feature SLM printed fuel injector nozzles).

The Campus Safran Additive will be a substantial addition to the company’s 3-D printing capabilities. It also presents new opportunities for the region of New Aqui-taine, which is reported to be contributing 6.9 million euros to help fund the complex.

Alain Rousset, president of the region (which has also proposed a Plan for Digital Aquitaine), said: “Safran’s choice shows the attractiveness of our territory and the quality of the ecosystem we have built around the technologies of the future. Additive manufacturing is crucial for our metallurgy sector.”