Northwest Aerospace News February | March Issue No. 13 | Page 12

The potential benefits of AM are considerable and enable designers to think in radically different ways when developing components. But making use of AM requires extreme levels of precision and control. Different metals and alloys behave differently when they are molten and when they solidify; that can require changes to the manufacturing process. “Overall, we are investing more in research and development than ever before. In 2018, we had a record level of investment in technology at £75 million and we are on track for another record year in 2019,” Bowman con- firms. In 2020 GKN will be opening a new Global Technology Center in the United Kingdom which will serve as a primary hub for aerospace innovation. 12 NORTHWEST AEROSPACE NEWS Domestically GKN will continue to invest and promote innovation in aerospace manufacturing with research at the U.S. Department of Energy’s Oak Ridge National Laboratory in Tennessee. GKN is working on industrializing AM by specifically targeting large- scale aerospace parts that have not conventionally been considered possible to produce using AM. GKN Aerospace’s unique posi- tion in the industry may be what truly separates them from other aerospace suppliers. They have been able to position themselves at the crux of innovation and exe- cution by empowering thousands of employees to work on some of the most forward-thinking inven- tions and ideas on how to change aviation for the 21st century and beyond. Knowledgeable and experienced employees are able to execute the implementation of their innovations through manufacturing excellence, on-rate deliveries, and unparalleled quality of product. Change teams with highly skilled employees who have the knowl- edge and expertise to continuously develop and implement ambitious improvement projects operate throughout GKN Aerospace. Each employee is trained to know the flow of value to the customer. Lean manufacturing and automation have been introduced on a global scale. In all their processes GKN looks at what they are doing through the lens of the customer.