AFD Systems has expanded its aerospace manufacturing capabilities with the acquisition of a Stratasys F900 industrial additive manufacturing system, enabling the production of larger flightworthy aerospace components.
The investment follows the company’s recent Part 21G Production Organisation Approval and is aimed at meeting growing demand for complex additively manufactured components across aerospace, defence and other regulated industries.
The Stratasys F900 provides AFD Systems with a larger build envelope and increased production capacity compared with its existing additive manufacturing capabilities. The system will allow the company to manufacture larger components in a single build, potentially reducing part counts and assembly requirements while improving structural integrity and production efficiency.
The new capability will primarily support the manufacture of larger flightworthy aerospace components, production tooling and low-volume certified parts for current and future aerospace programmes. It is also expected to increase production throughput, reduce lead times and improve the company’s ability to respond to customer requirements.
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Garry Sellick, Head of Manufacturing at AFD Systems, said the F900 would enable the company to manufacture components that were previously beyond its in-house capabilities while maintaining the quality and traceability required for aerospace and defence programmes.
The investment also strengthens AFD Systems’ ability to support customers including BAE Systems with production-ready additive manufacturing solutions and larger flightworthy structures.
Jerrod Hartley, CEO of AFD Systems, said the acquisition represents the next step following the company’s Part 21G approval, allowing it to expand the size and complexity of aerospace components it can manufacture.
According to Hartley, the expanded capability will help customers benefit from additive manufacturing through reduced part counts, lower assembly complexity and shorter lead times, while positioning AFD Systems to support future aerospace programmes requiring lightweight and high-performance manufacturing solutions.
