Constellium, a global aluminum products manufacturer, has entered a collaboration with Nikon Advanced Manufacturing, a digital manufacturing solutions company, and America Makes, a US public-private partnership for additive manufacturing, to broaden the use of its Aheadd CP1 aluminum alloy in the United States defense and aerospace sectors. The $2.1 million project is funded by the Office of the Under Secretary of Defense’s Manufacturing Technology Office (ODS ManTech) and will be managed through America Makes.
Project Leadership and Collaboration
The initiative is led by Nikon Advanced Manufacturing and involves collaboration with standards organization ASTM International and consulting firm 3Degrees. Guidance will be provided by top defense contractors including Lockheed Martin, Northrop Grumman, Honeywell Aerospace Technologies, and others. The project’s goal is to generate crucial material property data for the Aheadd CP1 alloy to support its qualification and adoption by defense and aerospace manufacturers.
This effort is part of a multi-phase program intended to accelerate the integration of additive manufacturing technologies within the United States’ Defense Industrial Base. The data produced will be made accessible to approved Department of Defense partners and commercial aerospace users through the Workbench for Additive Materials (WAM) database, an initiative supported by the OSD to facilitate the sharing of metal additive manufacturing data.
Technology and Material Properties
The project will utilize the Laser Powder Bed Fusion (LPBF) additive manufacturing process, a technique that uses a laser to fuse layers of metal powder to build complex parts. Testing will be conducted on Nikon SLM Solutions’ large-format, multi-laser NXG XII 600 series L-PBF systems. These systems are designed for serial production of large, complex metal components up to 600 mm x 600 mm x 600 mm. Nikon Advanced Manufacturing offers product development with the alloy and this system at its facility in Long Beach, California.
Constellium’s Aheadd CP1 is an aluminum-zirconium-iron (Al-Zr-Fe) alloy specifically designed for the LPBF process. It offers a combination of high strength, ductility, and high thermal and electrical conductivity. The alloy is designed for high-speed printing and stability, which can reduce the need for complex post-processing. These properties make it suitable for mission-critical components such as high-performance heat exchangers, lightweight structural parts, and other components subject to thermal loads. The alloy was recently approved for use in Formula 1 racing cars for the 2024 season.
Company Background and Market Context
Constellium is a Paris-headquartered company specializing in the development and manufacturing of aluminum products and solutions, as well as aluminum recycling. With roots in aluminum pioneers Pechiney, Alcan, and Alusuisse, the company employs approximately 12,000 people across 25 manufacturing sites in Europe, North America, and China, reporting revenues of $7.3 billion in 2024. Its business is structured into three units: Aerospace and Transportation; Packaging and Automotive Rolled Products; and Automotive Structures and Industry.
Nikon Advanced Manufacturing is a California-based subsidiary of Nikon that serves as the global headquarters for its Advanced Manufacturing Business Unit. The company was formed to consolidate Nikon’s investments in the sector, including the acquisitions of German metal AM system manufacturer SLM Solutions and US-based AM service provider Morf3D. It aims to provide integrated digital manufacturing solutions, with a particular focus on the aerospace, space, and defense industries.
America Makes, based in Youngstown, Ohio, is the United States’ national accelerator for additive manufacturing technology and education. Managed by the non-profit National Center for Defense Manufacturing and Machining, it is a public-private partnership sponsored by the Department of Defense. Its membership includes organizations from industry, academia, and government working to advance the adoption of additive manufacturing and enhance US manufacturing competitiveness.
Aluminum in the Additive and Aerospace Markets
The global market for aluminum alloys in aerospace applications is driven by the demand for lightweight, high-strength materials that improve fuel efficiency and reduce emissions. The market was valued at $2.5 billion in 2024 and is projected to reach $3.96 billion by 2032. This project reflects a wider trend of developing and qualifying new materials for additive manufacturing, a market valued at $26.79 billion in 2024 and is projected to reach $189.34 billion by 2034.
