Nikon Advanced Manufacturing has joined a $5.5m US-funded project to develop high-strength aluminium alloys for metal 3D printing, working alongside aerospace and defence companies including General Atomics, Lockheed Martin, Northrop Grumman and Airbus.
The project, known as GOTHAAM (Generation of Technical-data for High-strength Aluminum Alloy Material), aims to develop a corrosion-resistant alloy with properties equivalent to 7075-T73 aluminium, widely used in demanding engineering applications.
Funded by the US Department of War’s Manufacturing Technology Office, the programme will establish validated material data and qualification standards for laser powder bed fusion (LPBF), a form of additive manufacturing that uses lasers to melt metal powder layer by layer.
Qualifying materials for industrial production
A key objective is to demonstrate consistent material performance across large, medium and small 3D printing systems. Establishing reliable data on material properties is essential to qualifying printed components for safety-critical applications and supporting wider industrial adoption.
Nikon will contribute its expertise in metal additive manufacturing and large-format LPBF systems. The wider project brings together aerospace manufacturers, technology providers and material suppliers to develop the evidence needed to produce reliable, high-performance components.
John Martin, Additive Manufacturing Research Director at America Makes, said validated data would help US manufacturers produce reliable components for critical defence systems.
The project aims to support the use of high-strength aluminium components across aerospace, defence and commercial manufacturing, while strengthening the US advanced manufacturing supply chain.
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