Lightweight metals specialist Alcoa is expanding its capabilities for producing larger components with a $22 million investment in its Whitehall, Michigan facility announced earlier this month. The company is spending $22 million to install hot isostatic pressing equipment, which strengthens the metallic structure of titanium, nickel and 3D-printed aero engine parts.
Here at the Paris Air Show, Alcoa (Chalet 49, Hall 5 Stand F210) is highlighting what it says is its cutting-edge innovation based on its ability to work in multiple materials and to produce a wide variety of products for the aerospace sector. “All structures are hybrids now since they are made of multiple materials,” Alcoa COO Eric Roegner told AIN. “We are uniquely positioned to discuss with manufacturers when it makes sense to use any particular material and how to use it.”
One manufacturer that has turned to Alcoa for help is Pratt & Whitney, which last year chose it to make the first aluminum forging for the hybrid metallic fan blade for the PurePower engines for the Airbus A320neo narrowbody. These are made from a mix of aluminum and aluminum-lithium, unlike most fan blades that are made from titanium and carbon fiber. According to Alcoa, its blades will outperform traditional equipment and also cost less.
In addition, Alcoa has expertise in additive manufacturing. The Whitehall facility, for example, is using resins to produce complicated parts. This cuts the development time in half. It also has expanded into using metals for making tooling and preformed parts. “We can use higher-value nickels and titanium for additive manufacturing, and these tend to be used for complex parts that are load-bearing or moving,” said Roegner.
These days, Alcoa’s aerospace business is evenly split between engines, fastenings and aerostructures. Last year, its aerospace revenues stood at around $5.6 billion.