GKN Aerospace earns Nadcap accreditation for laser wire DED at Trollhättan

GKN Aerospace has received Nadcap accreditation for its Laser Wire Directed Energy Deposition process (L-DED-w) at its Trollhättan site in Sweden. Nadcap is a widely used aerospace accreditation for special processes. It checks quality management, traceability, process control, equipment, personnel qualifications and materials handling. The company says the accreditation provides independent verification of its L-DED-w processes, which it sees as a step toward using the technology in full-scale aircraft production. GKN Aerospace already delivers certified additively manufactured components for flying products. In 2024 it invested over SEK 600 million in a new factory in Trollhättan to industrialise additive manufacturing. The accreditation is a sign that metal additive manufacturing is moving from development into qualified series production for aerospace and defence customers.

Context Nadcap is an aerospace accreditation for special processes, such as welding or coating, that cannot be fully verified by inspection of the finished part.

This summary was written with the help of AI from the linked reports, under the editorial responsibility of Svetozar Kolesar.