Premium Aerotec and Lockheed Martin collaborate on Additive Manufacturing for F-35
Thomas Ehm, Premium Aerotec CEO (left) and Greg Ulmer, Lockheed Martin’s VP and General Manager of the F-35 programme (right), at the signing of the collaboration agreement (Courtesy Premium Aerotec)
Premium Aerotec, Augsburg, Germany, and Lockheed Martin, Bethesda, Maryland, USA, will collaborate to identify candidate parts in the F-35 fighter jet that could be produced by Additive Manufacturing, with the target of improving efficiencies and reducing costs as the F-35 reaches full rate production and sustainment of the operational fleet.
“We are excited to work with Lockheed Martin,” stated Thomas Ehm, Premium Aerotec CEO. “This collaboration is a first step for our company into the important US defence market. Furthermore it’s a great opportunity to demonstrate the advantages of Premium Aerotec’s leading edge 3D printing products and processes in combination with state of the art combat aircraft technology.”
“We see tremendous opportunity for Additive Manufacturing to further reduce costs, enhance quality and improve speed across the F-35 enterprise,” commented Greg Ulmer, Lockheed Martin’s Vice President and General Manager of the F-35 program.
“F-35 production includes the most advanced manufacturing techniques of any fighter jet in the world,” he continued, “and partnering with companies like Premium Aerotec, we will continue to integrate additional automation and Additive Manufacturing techniques that will ensure we’re always delivering on our cost, quality and efficiency goals.”
