GKN Aerospace and US Air Force launch $8.4M TITAN-AM program for titanium aerostructures

GKN Aerospace has entered into an $8.4 million initiative with the US Air Force Research Laboratory (AFRL) to advance additive manufacturing for large-scale aerospace structures. The program, titled Titanium Industrialization and Technology Advancement for Near-net Additive Manufacturing (TITAN-AM), will be executed at GKN Aerospace’s Global Technology Center in Fort Worth, Texas. The technical scope focuses on scaling Laser Metal Deposition with Wire (LMD-w) to produce large titanium-based components, integrating advanced simulation tools, material datasets, and non-destructive inspection (NDI) protocols for full-scale part validation.

This partnership addresses the critical industry need for high-buy-to-fly ratios in titanium aerostructures, where traditional subtractive manufacturing often results in excessive material waste. By utilizing LMD-w, GKN Aerospace aims to achieve material savings exceeding 70 percent compared to conventional machining processes. This move positions GKN Aerospace as a key integrator in the defense supply chain, moving beyond small-scale component printing toward the industrialization of large-format DED (Directed Energy Deposition) for structural applications. The program directly competes with traditional forging and machining workflows by offering a more resilient, digitally-driven alternative for critical aerospace hardware.

For GKN Aerospace to succeed, the program must move from successful laboratory-scale LMD-w demonstrations to repeatable, certified production of flight-critical titanium structures. The primary technical hurdle remains the standardization of NDI methods to ensure that large-scale near-net-shape parts meet the rigorous fatigue and integrity requirements of US Air Force airframes. Success here will depend on the accuracy of the new simulation tools in predicting thermal stresses and grain structures during the wire-fed deposition process.