| On July 11, 2018, Oerlikon and Lufthansa Technik signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) to establish an additive manufacturing (AM) process in the aicraft MRO. Lufthansa Technik is a subsidiary of the Lufthansa Group for the aerospace industry. Provides maintenance, repair and overhaul (MRO) services. Partnerships are an important step in the industrialization of AM in the aircraft MRO industry, with the potential to exploit potential flexibility and cost savings in manufacturing, procurement, warehousing and supply chain management.  'We believe that Oerlikon's extensive expertise in the additive manufacturing and aerospace industries, coupled with our ability to integrate the manufacturing value chain on a global scale, will bring huge benefits to Lufthansa's technology,' Oerlikon Group Chief Executive Officer Dr. Roland Fischer said. Bernhard Krueger-Sprengel, Vice President of Engine Services at Lufthansa Technik, said: 'Lufthansa Technik is actively involved in future cabins, 3D printing and Industry 4.0. We believe that the partnership with Oerlikon AM is to accelerate Lufthansa Technik's global presence. An exciting opportunity for AM repair capabilities. '  Airbus A340-300 engine inspection Oerlikon AM and Lufthansa Technik will print representative component geometries on the same 3D printer using the same process parameters and powder specifications in Oerlikon AM Charlotte (North Carolina, USA), Oerlikon AM Barleben (Germany) and Hamburg Lufthansa Technik. We look forward to strengthening our partnership with Lufthansa Technik and working together to develop reliable, repeatable and quality-assured additive manufacturing processes, standards and products for the MRO industry. Dr. Roland Fischer said. The partnership lasts for one year and may be extended to other 3D printer models as more data is collected about the manufacturing process. The results will be shared with relevant industry bodies to help determine aircraft component certification and approval criteria. |
