A Novel Additive Manufacturing Process Based on Wire and Plasma

Norsk Titanium has developed a novel process for additive manufacturing, using wire as raw material and plasma as heat source. The patented set-up offers a stable deposition method with in-built flexibility for securing stable metal transfer and thermal control. The process has shown to be suitable and capable for industrial production of aerospace structures in Titanium, focusing on the alloy Ti6Al4V. The process is presently pending FAA qualification.

This paper will give an introduction to the process and the product capabilities in terms of deposition capacity, geometry and resulting material characteristics. The benefits of the combination of wire and plasma will be highlighted. Typical challenges in additive manufacturing, and how the process meets these challenges, will be presented.