Turkish Aerospace Industries (TAI) has purchased the world‘s largest 3D electron beam metal printer, the EBAM 300 series from Sciaky, Inc. to print parts for the future fifth generation domestic TF-X fighter aircraft!

Sciaky, Inc. , a subsidiary of Phillips Service Industries, Inc. and a leading provider of industrial 3D metal printing solutions, announced on January 25 that it will deliver the world‘s largest electron beam directed energy 3D printer (DED) to TAI.

The contract between TAI and the supplier company Sciaky Inc. , also provides for the cooperation of the two parties in a series of programs and projects aimed at transferring know-how and training for the best possible use and operation of the 3D printer “EBAM 300″.

The EBAM machine will be destined for TAI‘s plant in Ankara, Turkey, where it will print some of the largest titanium aerostructures in the industry.

The machine will be able to print structures up to 6 metres long, 2 metres wide and 1. 8 metres high, with deposition rates exceeding 20 kg of metal per hour.

In addition to its impressive technical specifications, this unique 3D printer can be quickly converted to an electron beam welder (EBW) for large-scale welding applications.

TAI will also have the advantage of combining electron beam welding and 3D printing functions for applications requiring both technologies

Turkish Aerospace Industries CEO Temel Kotilpu said that the unveiling of the Turkish TF-X aircraft will take place in March 2023 with a view to flying in 2026.

Temel Kotil said, “The TF-X will be presented for the first time on March 18, 2023 and will make its maiden flight in 2026,” and added that in order to be considered a national fighter, everything must be built in Turkey, because “it makes no sense to buy aircraft parts from abroad, such as the landing gear or the engine. ”

What he means is that Turkey should not have any dependence on another country for the production of the aircraft.

He went on to say: ‘Instead, these should be built in Turkey. We also need to set up a facility to test whether the aircraft is visible from radar [meaning the stealth qualities of the fighter]. In this context, the investment has to be much higher for TF-X. ”

Based on the experience of other aircraft development programmes, especially fifth generation aircraft, it took at least a decade to complete, with several problems along the way and with imports of parts from third countries.

But now Turkish Aerospace Industries has purchased the well-known “EBAM 300″ metal 3D printer, which uses electron beam fusion, to make the TF-X components.