Eaton opens European Additive Manufacturing centre
Eaton, headquartered in Dublin, Ireland, has opened a new European Centre of Additive Manufacturing at its aerospace manufacturing campus in Wimborne, UK, expanding its capacity for production-scale metal AM and strengthening support for regional aerospace programmes.
The new facility brings together design, engineering, Additive Manufacturing and validation capabilities under one roof, enabling Eaton to support the development and production of certified aerospace components closer to customers. According to the company, the investment will help address increasing demand for lightweight, high-performance components while improving supply chain resilience through more localised production.
“As aerospace manufacturers continue to seek lighter, more efficient components and more resilient supply chains, Additive Manufacturing is gaining broader interest across the industry,” the company stated. “The new facility is designed to support localised, production-scale Additive Manufacturing in Europe and help customers address complexity, supply chain resiliency and production-readiness needs.”
Tomasina Bailey, Vice President, Engineering, Aerospace Group, Eaton, explained, “By expanding our Additive Manufacturing capabilities in Europe, we are enabling customers to move faster from design to production of certified components. With deep engineering expertise and integrated capabilities, Eaton is setting the standard for scaling additive in aerospace, delivering the performance, reliability and design flexibility customers need for next-generation platforms.”
At the centre of the facility is Eaton’s largest metal Additive Manufacturing machine, which the company states can deliver up to twice the productivity of its previous machines. Eaton says the increased capacity will accelerate product development, increase throughput and support the manufacture of complex, safety-critical aerospace components.
The company expects to further expand the site’s capabilities, including the introduction of titanium processing and electron beam-based Additive Manufacturing technologies, subject to customer demand and operational readiness.
“Eaton expects to expand the facility’s capabilities to further boost its ability to support high-reliability commercial and military programmes at scale,” stated Mike York, Director of Additive Manufacturing and Digital Design, Aerospace Group, Eaton. “Based on customer requirements and operational readiness, the company anticipates using titanium and electron beam additive processes and is working towards achieving rigorous AS9100 aerospace quality certification.”
The new centre is intended to complement Eaton’s global manufacturing network, enabling the company to offer regionally aligned production and dual-source manufacturing options for aerospace customers. According to Eaton, this approach improves supply chain resilience, reduces logistical delays and supports business continuity for critical aerospace programmes.
