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Aluminium alloy breaks the critical 500 MPa UTS mark

A20X™, the aluminium alloy developed and patented by UK foundry specialist Aeromet International, has cemented its status as one of the strongest aluminium additive manufacturing powders commercially available after surpassing the key 500 MPa UTS mark.

As part of a recent research project involving aero-engine giant Rolls-Royce and additive manufacturing equipment specialist Renishaw, heat-treated parts produced using A20X™ Powder have achieved an ultimate tensile strength (UTS) of 511 MPa, a yield strength of 440 MPa and elongation of 13 per cent – putting the powder at the forefront of high-strength aluminium additive manufacturing.

Crucially, parts additively manufactured with the powder maintain high-strength and fatigue properties even at elevated temperatures, outperforming other leading aluminium powders.

Mike Bond, director of advanced material technology at Aeromet, said: “Since bringing the A20X™ alloy to market for additive manufacturing five years ago we have seen significant adoption for high-strength, design-critical applications. By working with Rolls-Royce, Renishaw and PSI we have optimised processing parameters that led to record-breaking results, opening up new design possibilities for aerospace and advanced engineering applications”.

The HighSAP project is backed by the UK’s National Aerospace Technology Exploitation Programme (NATEP). The powder for additive manufacturing is derived from the MMPDS-approved A20X™ casting alloy, the world’s strongest aluminium casting alloy, which is in use by a global network of leading aerospace casting suppliers.

Aeromet International is a leading supplier of cast metal parts to the global aerospace and defence industries. It provides major OEMs including Airbus, Boeing, BAE Systems and Rolls-Royce with parts ranging from engine and fuel system components to winglets and doors.

www.a20x.com/powder  http://www.aeromet.co.uk/