Aurora Labs to manufacture steel parts for BAE Systems Maritime Australia’s AM trial project
July 29, 2021
Aurora Labs Limited (A3D), headquartered in Canning Vale, Australia, has announced a collaboration with BAE Systems Maritime Australia to metal additively manufacture trial marine components for commercial evaluation for its Hunter Class Frigate Program (HCFP).
BAE Systems Maritime Australia’s Research & Technology group is investigating large-scale metal Additive Manufacturing as a technology for future adoption. A3D has been identified as a possible provider of Powder Bed Fusion (PBF) technology to the HCFP, and the company aims to prove its technical and commercial viability for the project by producing additively manufactured stainless steel components t suitable for servicing the build of nine Future Frigates in Australia for the Royal Australian Navy.
A3D and BAE Systems Maritime Australia have agreed, initially, to investigate Additive Manufacturing as part of the project’s staged evaluation approach to identifying locally available AM processes and their benefits. The component selected for testing is currently produced using conventional manufacturing processes; A3D will review the part design and assess its optimised potential using PBF AM.
“We are very pleased to be offered the chance to perform test printing for the Hunter Class Frigate Program,” stated Peter Snowsill, A3D CEO. “Technical validation of this kind is crucial to our commercialisation strategy and allows us to develop and position our technology to satisfy customer specifications.”
