Titomic, an Australia-based metal AM company, has partnered with Gilmour Space Technologies, a Queensland-based aerospace company, to explore the use of the formers Titomic Kinetic Fusion technology and other digital manufacturing solutions to produce high-performance rocket and aerospace components. The companies have formalized the partnership through a Statement of Strategic Intent and Technical Development.

Founded in 2014, Titomic has brought to market a solid-state metal AM process first pioneered by Australian research group CSIRO. The technology, Titomic Kinetic Fusion, is capable of producing large-scale metal parts (up to 9m in length and 3m in width) as well as achieving high-volume production rates for complex parts made from dissimilar metals. Considering these capabilities, it is no surprise that the technology is being explored for aerospace applications (as well as defense, mining and other areas).

According to Titomic, its additive manufacturing platform is currently the only metal additive manufacturing process capable of manufacturing rockets in a single piece as well as other space components.

Gilmour Space, for its part, was founded in 2013 by brothers Adam and James Gilmour and has become one of the leading players in Australias space industry. The company has stood out for its development of new hybrid propulsion technologies that aim to make space travel and exploration more cost effective.

Through their agreement, the companies will collaborate on R&D for fabricating rocket components using Titomics TKF technology, as well as explore, design and develop a digital manufacturing process specifically for high-performance rocket parts. Overall, both companies have the goal of producing next-gen rocket components that will benefit Australias space industry and activities.

James Gilmour, Co-Founder and COO of Gilmour Space, commented on the partnership, saying: Gilmour Space is developing new launch vehicles to support todays global small satellite market, and this partnership could see us leveraging on Titomics innovative manufacturing processes to produce lighter and stronger components for our orbital launch vehicles.

I am excited to get started on our joint tech-development program, Nathanael Miller, CTO of Titomic, said, echoing Gilmours enthusiasm. Between the Gilmour Space focus on launch economics and the scale and quality performance of Titomic Kinetic Fusion capabilities, I am expecting significant implications for the launch vehicle community.

Jeff Land, Founder and Managing Director of Titomic, concluded: This is an exciting new development for Titomic to share a commercially strategic vision to deliver unique capabilities of advanced technologies to assure growth of the Australian space eco-system. The Gilmour Space strategy, for lower cost access to launch satellites into space by affordable high-performance rockets, is in synergy with Titomics capability to provide an affordable alternative to traditional manufacturing by utilising the unique capabilities of Titomic Kinetic Fusion technology.

Titomic is increasingly becoming a significant player in the global Aerospace, Defence and Space industries and by partnering with Gilmour Space it is further evidence that TKF technology has the potential for a multiplicity of applications for future industries to improve manufacturing affordability and sustainability of resources.

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Titomic and Gilmour Space developing high-performance 3D printed rocket parts - 3DPMN