Optomec Receives $1 Million Contract for Metal Additive System to Repair Aircraft Engines

Strategic Insights -

The US Air Force has awarded Optomec a $1 million contract to deliver a high-volume production machine for refurbishing turbine engine components, including titanium parts. The automated additive repair system will process tens of thousands of repairs per year, with an initial focus on tip refurbishment for turbine blades. This contract is part of the US Air Force's efforts to reduce costs and improve readiness through Metal Additive Repair (MAR) solutions.

Key Takeaways:

  • The US Air Force spends billions of dollars annually on Maintenance, Repair and Overhaul (MRO) services for its military aircraft, with a significant portion tied to the replacement of worn or damaged components with newly made parts.
  • Optomec's Metal Additive Repair solutions enable restoration of existing parts, with demonstrated cost savings of up to 70%.
  • The Air Force will benefit from shortened, more predictable lead times and reduced supply chain dependencies, translating to improved readiness for the military.
  • The contract is part of the US Air Force's efforts to streamline the Small Business Innovation Research process to speed up the experience, broaden the pool of potential applicants, and decrease bureaucratic overhead.
  • Optomec's LENS technology uses Directed Energy Deposition (DED) to build high-performance metal structures, and has delivered over 200 machines for commercial aviation and power generation markets.
  • Jamie Hanson, VP Business Development at Optomec, stated that Optomec is proud to be serving the military, and that the challenge given by the Air Force was to provide a system based on commercially proven capabilities that meet their production and technical requirements.

Statistics:

  • The US Air Force spends billions of dollars annually on MRO services for its military aircraft.
  • The global market for Aircraft Engine MRO is $50 billion per year across all commercial and military aviation.
  • Optomec's Metal Additive Repair solutions have demonstrated cost savings of up to 70%.
  • More than 200 LENS/DED machines have been delivered by Optomec, with nearly 100 in production to repair turbine blades in the commercial aviation and power generation markets.

Sources:

  • Optomec Receives Air Force Contract for Metal Additive System to Repair Aircraft Engines, Business Wire
  • https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20200902005798/en/
  • Sandia National Labs: LENS is a registered trademark
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