Wipro, Hindustan Aeronautics Tie Up To Make Aerospace Components

Software major Wipro's infrastructure and engineering arm and aerospace behemoth Hindustan Aeronautics Ltd (HAL) on Thursday tied up to jointly design, develop and manufacture aerospace components using metal additive technology (3D printing).

"The agreement will enable the partners to develop, prove and apply new material in the production of aerospace applications, including Maintenance Repair and Overhaul (MRO). The joint initiative will make manufacturing and certification of aerospace components feasible using metal 3D printing," these city-based firms said in a joint statement.

The 3D printing is a new age manufacturing technique, which uses solid material such as plastic or metal as ink to print or manufacture the desired object layer by layer, also called additive printing.

Desired product images with exact dimensions are fed into a computer to 3D print the required specimens by using the molten ink, which solidifies later.

Shekar Srivastava, chief executive, Bangalore Complex, HAL said the joint pact between Wipro and the state-run aerospace major will create synergies to accelerate the adoption of aerospace metal additive printing in India.

"Qualification of parts for aerospace is challenging as it would require prove out and extensive testing followed by certification by regulatory authorities which may also include flight testing," said Srivastava in a statement.

He said metal 3D printing has an immense role in the success of India's aerospace and defence platforms and fulfilling the needs of HAL.

Wipro Infrastructure Engineering chief executive Pratik Kumar highlighted that aerospace industry is one of the first adopters of metal 3D printing technology, owing to its faster design capability, weight and geometry optimisation, performance improvement and flexible manufacturing.

According to Ajay Parikh, Wipro 3D business head, the metal printing pact between the two companies will offer manufacturing and MRO flexibility and help existing, upcoming and legacy aerospace programmes.

In November 2019, British assessment services vendor Lloyd's Register certified the additive manufacturing business of Wipro 3D for quality assurance.

Located in this tech hub, the Wipro 3D metal additive facility offers layered metal printing consulting, design, production and research and development services.

HAL, also headquartered in Bengaluru, designs, develops, manufactures and supplies aircraft, helicopters, aerospace equipment, engines and accessories.