Hartford Business Journal

www.HartfordBusiness.com • March 11, 2019 • Hartford Business Journal 17 deal volume in recent years involving companies of all sizes. Sector tracker 3D Printing Industry lists 18 deals involving additive-manu- facturing compa- nies going back to only last July. Training the next genera- tion of additive- manufacturing workers, too, is dictated largely by the cost and availability of the latest equipment. Mechanical en- gineer Chris Fos- ter, who teaches additive as part of the advanced- manufacturing programs at Tunxis Commu- nity College in Farmington and Asnuntuck Com- munity College in Enfield, says those awed by the technology don't appreciate that even addi- tive-made parts require some level of finishing work to meet custom- ers' standards. "People see the glamor of taking the [finished] part out [of the additive ma- chine]. But it's not,'' Foster said. No immediate estimate exists as to the number of skilled workers eventually needed in additive manufacturing. How- ever, Foster says a general rule is that for every two production machines, at least one skilled worker is needed to run them. Another damper on full-scale embrace of additive, Murphy and other observers say, is that some OEMs still routinely insist on having most parts made using traditional injection molding, milling and lathing, not fully convinced about the quality of additive-made parts. But that's changing, Folsom says. Pratt & Whitney's geared turbofan engine, he said, as well as propulsion systems from GE and other aero-engine builders, will likely be the last to be pro- duced using traditional technology. Pratt, GE, Sikorsky, British jet-engine builder Rolls-Royce Holdings Plc, are among Whitcraft's major OEM customers. Both Pratt and GE, Folsom said, "are very focused on engine designs'' that "add metal to create parts, rather than subtracting … .'' Pratt spokesman John Thomas, in a statement, said, "Additive technologies are the future, and those technologies are certainly influencing future engine designs and helping us bring products to market faster, while allowing Pratt & Whitney to continue our industry- leading engine development." America's The Boeing Co., Europe's Airbus, and other jet airframe builders in Brazil, Germany, Japan and Russia are pushing development of smaller, lightweight single-aisle jetliners that will rely on just two fuel-efficient en- gines, Folsom said. Those engines, too, will benefit from additive-made parts. With "unprecedented engine de- mand'' from Pratt and GE, Folsom said Whitcraft projects its 2019 revenue to profitably climb by 10 percent for the second year in a row. From supplier to producer According to John D. Sims, ATI's exec- utive vice president of high performance materials and components, ATI sought to transition from being a supplier of metal powders used in additive manu- facturing to actually producing complex components from the raw materials. Already a customer, ATI seized on acquiring Addaero Manufacturing (now ATI New Britain) as a quick entry into the technology, Sims said. To Addaero's additive expertise ATI brings scale, engi- neering expertise and financial backing. "I would say you're going to see in 10 years the adoption of additive technol- ogy in different places,'' Sims said. Engineer Richard Merlino, Addaero's co-founder, said additive technology "is in a transitional period, where people are getting comfortable with the results.'' Moreover, as ATI/Addaero and other additive-production vendors become more adept with the technology, they benefit from higher productivity and efficiency from additive equipment that can cost $1 million or more. "That's enabling a bigger pie,'' Mer- lino said. FRIDAY • 03.22.19 George A. Barrios '87, '89 MBA Co-President WWE Robert F. Chauvin '78 Business Consultant/Advisor Retired President, SimplexGrinnell Mary A. Laschinger '92 EMBA Chairman & Chief Executive Officer Veritiv Corporation James F. Whalen '82 Partner TA Realty ALUMNI INDUCTEES to purchase a seat: s.uconn.edu/hof2019 HARTFORD, CT Former Addaero co-owners David Hill (left) and Richard Merlino say additive opened opportunities to them. PHOTO | HBJ FILE

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