Materion Corporation The contract for 5 million dollars was awarded by the United States Air Force Research Laboratory (AFRL) will expand its ongoing research and development in additive manufacturing of beryllium and aluminum-beryllium alloys.
The AFRL believes that expanding the additive manufacturing capabilities for these ‘specialised materials’ would enable significant advantages in the production and performance of optics structures, guidance systems, and thermal management applications.
Additive manufacturing will allow for greater precision in producing lighter and more complex components. This, combined with beryllium’s mechanical properties, will enhance the design and capabilities of optical system, space-based connectivity, and mobility technology.
Materion Corporation will develop multiple deposition processes in a safe, expandable and flexible environment. The company will work on supporting technologies such as equipment for pre- and after-processing. The AFRL will cover the costs of labour, materials and operations.
“Our additive manufacturing laboratory has demonstrated the viability of beryllium additive manufacturing, and we look forward to working with the US-AFRL to advance into a new phase of our research and development efforts,” commented Clive Grannum, President, Materion Performance Materials. “With our long history innovating beryllium solutions, we have the expertise to operationalise these specialised manufacturing techniques for existing and new customers who need more complex components for their next-generation applications.”
The US Air Force has awarded Materion Corporation a contract worth millions of dollars. This is just the latest in a series of companies that work on additive manufacturing. In June, it was announced that AddUp is participating in a $1.5m research program to advance IN-718 3D printing for the US Air Force, while two years ago the organisation deployed three Inkbit Vista multi-material 3D printing platforms through a $1.7m contract. Essentium Optomec Open Additive and others have worked with the US Air Force recently.