And through our unique and proprietary additive manufacturing process, we’ll take it further than Taylor Swift, to do more than just write your name.
Traditional manufacturing typically subtracts from a larger piece - through forging and machining and grinding. But what if you could manufacture by intentionally adding only what you need?
That’s where ATI’s additive manufacturing (AM) capabilities come in. Through layers of powdered metal bound together using a power source like a laser, additive manufacturing enables a new realm of intricacy while maintaining the part’s integrity. More complex, higher performing parts, using less material.
Take the heat exchangers we build for naval and aerospace applications. Previously, hundreds or thousands of tubes would be welded together, requiring time, and creating opportunities for failure. With additive manufacturing, we can print that complex heat exchanger as one part, with greater repeatability and integrity than before. Additive manufacturing brings the opportunity to increase complexity of geometry, material, and component designs.
When it comes to additive manufacturing, ATI brings the macro and the micro. At our new secure facility in
Margate, FL opening later this year, ATI can print parts up to 60 inches tall —the tallest in the industry. At the same time, we’re capable of features as small as 20 thousandths of an inch (think slicing a penny into 60 discs and printing just one) – all while maintaining the integrity of the part.
Additive is also fast: in regular forging, a customer might wait anywhere from 12 to 24 months just for tooling to be created. In additive manufacturing, you can skip the tooling because you’re building exactly what is needed from the start. There’s no delay as a mold is formed to try and create a part out of a larger piece. In some circumstances, ATI can cut down on lead time by up to two years.
ATI’s additively manufactured parts can be found in aerospace and space applications, ranging from thrust nozzles and bracketry on rockets to fuel tanks for satellites. At ATI Additive Manufacturing Products, we’ll work with aerospace and defense customers to develop and manufacture at scale the next generation of components for land, sea, air, and space to help power and protect. This facility will allow us to further shorten the lead time and integrate the entire supply chain into one building within ATI.
Additionally (get it?), our innovation extends beyond novel AM processes into product technologies. Take ATI Titan 23™, a new beta-titanium alloy that can replace Titanium 6Al-4V or 10-2-3 alloys in aerospace and defense applications. It’s one of our newest alloys with higher strength and less residual stress compared to Ti-6Al-4V, meaning it can be additively manufactured without cracking or distortion.
While additive manufacturing is a newer process technology, ATI has decades of experience in the materials science arena. We have a group of Proven Performers backing all we do. Our team of tenured PhD metallurgists and engineers, combined with manufacturing assets like full-scale powder atomization facilities and the ability to do all quality inspections and heat treating in house, ensure we’re at the forefront of innovation in additive manufacturing. ATI is unique in offering a fully integrated solution from raw materials to powders to additive manufacturing to final machined components.
With our deep expertise in quality and precision, ATI stands at the forefront of additive manufacturing. Now, just like in the process itself, we’re adding to our capabilities, to deliver the efficient and quality products that our customers depend on.
