Sintavia to focus on aerospace and defence sector following $10 million investment
July 31, 2015
Neff Capital Management LLC, a private equity firm based in Fort Lauderdale, Florida, USA, has announced that it has established a new company to focus on the Additive Manufacturing of production parts for aerospace and defence OEMs around the world.
The company, called Sintavia, LLC, will be headquartered in Davie, Florida, and will produce parts based on the exacting quality control standards required by the aerospace and defence industry. In addition to a serial production capability, the company will maintain a state-of-the-art metallurgical and metrology lab.
“We are excited to be a part of the coming industrial revolution within the aerospace and defence industry,” stated Brian Neff, Managing Partner of Neff Capital Management. “Over the next few years, as more and more production is shifted to Additive Manufacturing within this industry, serial manufacturers with exceptional quality control, like Sintavia, will be in high demand by the OEMs.”
Neff Capital’s funding of Sintavia includes a $10 million initial capital investment, to be rolled out in the coming 24 months, as the company grows and develops its capabilities. To support the production of highly complex metal parts, Sintavia will add three Selective Laser Melting SLM280HL dual-laser systems from SLM Solutions. Using a 280 x 280 x 350 mm build envelope, the SLM 280HL system offers options to configure a single 400 W, dual (400 +1000 W), or twin (400 W) lasers. Likewise, the system’s open software controls, bi-directional loader and closed-loop metal powder handling achieve the speed, safety and flexibility needed to optimise strict production parameters.
A recent study funded by the US Department of Energy Advanced Manufacturing Office demonstrated that aircraft weight can be reduced by 7% by replacing conventional means of manufacturing with Additive Manufacturing, an astonishing number for an industry where most weight efficiency improvements are one or two percentage points.
“Within 20 years, there will be a seismic shift in how we manufacture for the aerospace and defence industry. However, producers who do not understand or are incapable of producing parts with repetitive quality will not play a role in the OEM supply chain,” added Neff.
In addition to Sintavia, Neff Capital Management’s portfolio includes CTS Engines, LLC, CTS Testing, LLC, and Apogee Investment Partners LLC, a real estate holding company.
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