Carpenter Technology Corporation, a leader in high-performance specialty alloy-based materials and process solutions, recently announced the grand opening of its Emerging Technology Center (ETC) in Athens, Alabama, with capabilities for vacuum heat treating for multiple applications, including aerospace, automotive, energy, medical, defense, and other industries.
With a new, state-of-the-art quick cooling hot isostatic press (HIP) and vacuum heat treating system, Carpenter Technology’s 500,000-square-foot additive manufacturing (AM) facility provides the capability to atomize a range of specialty alloys into metal powder and manufacture the powder into finished parts using AM technology (3D metal printing).
"Our Emerging Technology Center is a critical component of Carpenter Technology’s future growth and development, and is aligned with our business strategy of evolving to an end-to-end solutions provider and influential leader in the AM area," said Carpenter Technology CEO Tony Thene. "We will also use it as a base to launch future investments as we expand our soft magnetics technology platform, scale up additional powder operations, and demonstrate a number of next-generation materials we have under development today."
The ETC investment complements Carpenter Technology’s 500,000-square-foot Alabama manufacturing facility, which began operations in 2014, and produces high-end specialty alloy products, primarily for the aerospace and energy markets.
"We have chosen to continue to invest in North Alabama because it offers three important advantages—a high-quality, tech-oriented workforce, a clear connection with the aerospace industry and a close working partnership with state and local government officials," said Thene.
"I have been looking forward to the opening of Carpenter Technology’s Emerging Technology Center since we joined with company leaders to announce plans for the facility at the Farnborough International Airshow in 2018," said Alabama Governor Kay Ivey. "I’m proud to see this world-class R&D center call Alabama home as we continue to strengthen the partnership with our friends at Carpenter Technology.
Main graphic photo credits: Carpenter Technology
