Colibrium to supply four metal AM machines under $31M NAVAIR contract
Colibrium Additive, a GE Aerospace company, has been awarded a $31 million contract by the United States Naval Air Systems Command (NAVAIR) in support of its Additive Manufacturing Capability initiative. The programme aims to enable faster testing, qualification and certification of metal additively manufactured parts, and to improve US Navy operational readiness.
“Colibrium Additive is proud to extend its support of NAVAIR with proven metal additive technology and deep application expertise,” stated Lars Bruns, executive technology leader at Colibrium Additive. “By combining certified hardware with licensed process data and hands-on training, we are helping accelerate the Navy’s ability to produce repeatable, airworthy components at scale and reduce supply chain risk for critical aviation parts.”
Under the agreement, Colibrium Additive will deliver six metal alloy Material Process Combinations (MPCs), comprising detailed physical and mechanical property data for each alloy. The company will also optimise process parameters, consolidate material and process specifications, and establish design allowables based on the tested properties.
The scope includes expansion of existing AlSi7Mg and IN718 material datasets, alongside the addition of 17-4PH and 7050-RAM2. These will complement the current portfolio, which includes 316L, CoCr and Ti6Al4V.
A dedicated thin-wall fatigue characterisation programme is also planned to validate the performance and fatigue life of thin-wall geometries. This is intended to support the qualification and certification of additively manufactured structures for aerospace applications.
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To meet NAVAIR development timelines, Colibrium Additive will supply three M Line metal Additive Manufacturing and one M2 Series 5 machine to support MPC development. The agreement also includes a comprehensive AddWorks services package, comprising licensed material data, manufacturing process instructions, and selected specifications to support the Additive Manufacturing of NAVAIR components. A training programme is included to enable repeatable production of airworthy parts.
These combined efforts are expected to reduce lead times for critical components, improve fleet sustainment, and enhance overall naval aviation readiness.
The programme also includes a structured training plan for personnel across manufacturing, quality, design and materials functions, as well as machine operators, with the aim of establishing long-term in-house capability.
