German additive manufacturing specialist enters into a business partnership with Turkish Aerospace intending to develop production and design processes

(Lupburg/Ankara, 2021-04-22) For manufacturing specialist FIT AG, additively manufactured components for the aerospace industry are playing an increasingly important role. Now FIT has just signed a memorandum of understanding with Turkish Aerospace, in which both parties declare their intention to work closely together in research and development to complete advanced 3D printing technology and products leveraging their respective strengths.

Aviation and aerospace is one of the most important industries for additive manufacturing today. Industrial 3D printing is literally predestined to reduce the overall weight of missiles through consistent and intelligent lightweight construction of individual components, resulting in competitive advantages such as lower fuel consumption and reduced emissions as well as higher performance in terms of flight duration and payload.

Turkish Aerospace had announced in recent months that it intended to expand its research and development efforts considering rapidly developing aerospace technologies. The Group attributes great innovative technological and commercial potential to additive manufacturing.

The memorandum of understanding unites two international companies whose competencies ideally complement each other for the mutual transfer of knowledge. Turkish Aerospace is an experienced specialist in aerospace manufacturing, while FIT AG contributes its know-how as a specialist in additive manufacturing and additive design. The company’s subsidiary FIT Production is ISO-9100 certified for aerospace, and the company is ambitiously working on further certifications to establish itself as an important partner in aerospace.

The aim of the declared collaboration is to develop improvements in design and production in order to quickly implement high-tech products with high added value. In joint studies, optimized design and manufacturing processes are to be developed to create innovative structural parts for flying parts in aircraft, drones and satellites that cannot be produced conventionally. FIT and Turkish Aerospace will actively cooperate in both Lupburg and Ankara on topics of certification, manufacturing, and development of new AM technologies. Research priorities include technology development, evaluation of additive manufacturing processes, engineering proficiency, and qualification of materials. As a result, the availability of innovative components and spare parts can be increased, while realizing cost and quality effects.

FIT and Turkish Aerospace have been working together on joint projects for a while. For example, together with Turkish Aerospace, FIT has developed a new type of mechanical component for the next-generation satellite platforms. FIT and Turkish Aerospace are also active partners in EU-funded research programs. For example, in the COFUND project of EKTAM (Additive Manufacturing Technologies Application and Research Center of Gazi University), FIT provides doctoral students with its machine capacities for research purposes, and in other funded projects, the companies are collaborating on the topic of microsatellites.

“We highly appreciate the cooperation with Turkish Aerospace. This partnership will allow us to increase our expertise in the aerospace sector,” explains Carl Fruth, founder and CEO of FIT AG. Prof. Dr. Temel Kotil, President and CEO at Turkish Aerospace, adds: “Since we have been working together on joint projects for years, it is a privilege to develop and create such a cooperation with FIT AG. As Turkish Aerospace, we will keep adding new perspectives and we will ensure the complete process chain using additive technologies within global standards.“

About FIT AG
The FIT Additive Manufacturing Group is a leading international industrial partner for additive manufacturing. As a pioneer in the industry with over 25 years of experience, the company develops and manufactures prototypes, production aids, 3D printed spare parts or additive manufactured final components for a wide range of customers. From product design to construction and manufacturing to post-processing, the AM specialist makes the entire value-added chain of 3D printing available. In addition, FIT also has numerous conventional processes at its disposal, such as CNC milling, injection molding, vacuum casting or the processing of elastomers for efficient small-batch production. FIT AG’s sales in 2020 amounted to EUR 22 million. The company currently employs a total of 250 people at its headquarters in Lupburg and at other locations e.g. in Bologna (Italy), Brasov (Romania), Modletice (Czech Republic), Zhukovsky (Russian Federation), Nagoya (Japan), and Peoria (USA). www.fit.technology

About Turkish Aerospace
Turkish Aerospace is the center of technology in design, development, manufacturing, integration of aerospace systems, modernization and after sales support in Turkey. Located in Ankara, the Turkish Aerospace production plant covers an area of 5 million square meters with an industrial facility of 150,000 square meters under its roof. The company has a modern aircraft facility furnished with high technology machinery and equipment that provide extensive manufacturing capabilities ranging from parts manufacturing to aircraft assembly, flight tests and delivery.
www.tusas.com