Led by Airbus, the DECSAM project is a landmark £38 million, four-year UK aerospace research and innovation programme. Its primary mission is to advance metal laser powder bed fusion (L-PBF) additive manufacturing, making it more cost-effective, productive, and sustainable for producing flight-ready parts. Funded through Innovate UK, the Aerospace Technology Institute (ATI), and the Department for Business and Trade, this consortium unites 11 leading organisations, including OEMs, suppliers, SMEs, and research institutes, to create a fully integrated UK AM supply chain.
DECSAM is strategically structured around four innovation pillars to cut part costs, raise quality, and accelerate design cycles. These pillars focus on developing new alloys and advanced modelling (Performance); implementing high-power lasers, beam shaping, and in-situ monitoring with closed-loop control (Productivity); creating an end-to-end digital thread and automating post-processing (Scalability); and integrating all technologies to demonstrate cost benefits on specific aerospace applications.
The programme will deliver tangible outputs including ground and flight-test demonstrators, validated routes for recycled and repurposed metal powder, and verified parameter sets for improved quality and throughput. A key objective is establishing a robust digital thread for in-process quality assurance, which aims to reduce reliance on costly post-process inspections like CT scanning. By prioritising resource efficiency and circular design principles, DECSAM aims to significantly reduce waste and the carbon intensity of AM, supporting the aerospace sector’s transition to net-zero manufacturing.
For industry partners like GKN Aerospace, DECSAM is a critical initiative to demonstrate the cost-competitiveness of L-PBF for future engine products. The project will help close current productivity gaps and reduce the industry’s reliance on overseas manufacturing steps. By linking UK materials supply with advanced machine capability and digital factory scale-up, DECSAM aims to ensure that high-quality AM parts are repeatable, cost-competitive, and producible at volume within the UK. This enhances national supply chain resilience, onshores critical manufacturing, and positions the UK at the forefront of sustainable aviation technology.
