West Des Moines, Iowa, July 20, 2023 /PRNewswire/ – Collins Aerospace, an RTX (NYSE: RTX) business, today celebrated the opening of a $14 million expansion of its additive manufacturing center in West Des Moines, Iowa. The 9,000-square-foot addition provides space for the site to house several new state-of-the-art 3D metal printers. The first printer installed has eight times the build volume of the facility’s existing printers, significantly increasing the center’s additive manufacturing capabilities.

The West Des Moines facility is a world leader in the design and production of engine components for commercial and military aircraft. The new printers will allow the site to explore additive production of these components, building on the multiple land-based turbine components it already has in production. Additionally, the facility is one of only eight in the U.S. to receive the National Aerospace and Defense Contractors Accreditation Program (NADCAP) certification for Additive Manufacturing.

Additive manufacturing is a critical focus area for Collins and the business maintains a global network of additive production centers in Iowa, Minnesota, North Carolina and Singapore, along with an additive research center in Connecticut.

An Airbus A330 operated by Air China takes off from Shanghai airport