The company has already designed, developed and delivered fully certified additively manufactured components that are flying today. It said the accreditation would help bring further L-DED-w applications into full aerospace production.
“Our customers are looking for trusted partners that can help industrialise advanced manufacturing technologies,” said Sébastien Aknouche, senior vice-president of Material Solutions at GKN Aerospace. “For additive manufacturing, that means having robust and repeatable processes that can support the move into industrial production.”
Nadcap assesses specialist manufacturing processes against requirements for quality, traceability and process control. The accreditation followed an audit of GKN Aerospace’s process controls, operating procedures, personnel qualifications, equipment, material control and traceability.
Additive manufacturing can reduce material use and enable complex aerospace component designs, according to the company. The accreditation gives GKN Aerospace an independently validated basis for expanding industrial applications of L-DED-w.
