GKN Aerospace Invests £50 Million to Grow Sustainable Additive Fabrication Capability

GKN Aerospace is boosting its commitment to sustainable manufacturing with a £50 million (600 million SEK) investment in its cutting-edge additive fabrication technology in Trollhättan, Sweden. The Swedish Energy Agency’s Industriklivet initiative will fund £12 million (152 million SEK) of this investment, which the company says will help to revolutionize production methods by reducing raw material usage by up to 80%. The technology will be embedded at GKN Aerospace’s Trollhättan facility in Sweden, which will be operational later in 2024.

Currently, aircraft engine components rely on large castings and forgings, with up to 80% of the material machined away before reaching the final form. By employing additive technology, which involves layer-by-layer construction using metal wire or powder fused together with lasers, GKN Aerospace is able to minimize raw material waste, energy use and shipping within production. This significantly cuts emissions, costs and lead time.

GKN Aerospace says it has been at the forefront of additive fabrication for almost two decades, and has significant research and technology centers in Sweden, the UK and the U.S. Thanks to the backing from Industriklivet, the new additive production center in Sweden is projected to create around 150 new job opportunities for operators, technicians and engineers at the Trollhättan facility.

“We are committed to driving sustainability in the aviation industry and pioneering improved solutions for our customers,” says Joakim Andersson, president of GKN Aerospace’s Engines business. “Our development of additive fabrication for large, complex and load-bearing aircraft components is a great example of this and it marks a significant breakthrough for the industry.”

The company says the benefits it sees from this technology are truly game-changing. “Government support has been pivotal in enabling us to push our capabilities forward and I am delighted to establish this unique technology in our world-leading facility in Trollhättan Sweden,” Andersson adds.

“GKN Aerospace’s solution will be able to contribute to a reduced use of raw materials and create opportunities to fundamentally change the design, making the aircraft engine lighter and more efficient. “This is the first time this technology is being tested for this component size and we see the potential for it to spread globally and also in other areas,” says Peter Engdahl, head of Research, Innovation and Business Development at the Swedish Energy Agency.

Last summer, the company relocated its North America AM center of excellence to Fort Worth, Texas. The move included a larger facility, plans for an additional larger AM cell and increased collaboration within the aerospace ecosystem.

GKN Aerospace serves some of the world’s leading aircraft manufacturers, as it designs, manufactures and delivers an extensive range of advanced aerospace systems, components and technologies — for use in commercial and defense aircraft ranging from helicopters, business jets, passenger planes and advanced air mobility vehicles to advanced fighter aircraft.

In line with its mission, GKN Aerospace is committed to achieving net-zero emissions by 2050. Lightweight composites, additive manufacturing, electrical wiring interconnection systems and innovative engine systems help to reduce emissions and weight on today’s aircraft, while it collaborates with global partners to accelerate the development of zero-emission aircraft technologies, including hydrogen-powered propulsion and all-electric flight.