GKN Aerospace has announced its participation in the Digitally Enabled Competitive & Sustainable Additive Manufacturing (DECSAM) programme, a significant £38 million, four-year UK research initiative. Led by Airbus, this consortium unites 11 leading aerospace organisations, including OEMs, suppliers, and research institutes, to accelerate the adoption of metal laser powder bed fusion (L-PBF) for flight-ready components.
Scheduled to run until June 2028, DECSAM is funded through Innovate UK, the Aerospace Technology Institute (ATI), and the Department for Business and Trade. Its core mission is to enhance the cost-effectiveness, productivity, and sustainability of additive manufacturing (AM) within the aerospace sector, directly supporting the industry’s transition towards net-zero emissions.
The programme is structured around four key innovation areas: developing new high-performance alloys, boosting productivity with advanced lasers and in-process monitoring, creating a seamless digital thread for scalability, and demonstrating these technologies on targeted aerospace applications. The goal is to create a fully integrated, UK-based AM supply chain—from material sourcing to final part qualification—that is both competitive and sustainable.
“For additive manufacturing to become a mainstream aerospace solution, we must bridge current productivity gaps and build a resilient, domestic supply chain,” said a representative. “DECSAM is strategically designed to achieve this, ensuring parts are not only repeatable and certifiable but also producible at a competitive cost in the UK.”
GKN Aerospace will play a pivotal role, leveraging its expertise as a major engine partner. The company will lead efforts in developing new sustainable material systems, advanced simulation methods, and productivity studies for L-PBF. This will position them to demonstrate the cost-effectiveness of AM for future engine programmes.
Planned outputs from DECSAM include ground and flight-test demonstrators, validated routes for reusing metal powder, and new in-process monitoring software. By prioritising resource efficiency and circular design, the project aims to significantly reduce waste and the carbon footprint of manufacturing, strengthening the UK’s technological base and supply chain resilience for a more sustainable aviation future.
