Additive Manufacturing Solutions Ltd. (AMS) is proud to announce its collaboration with the UK Ministry of Defence (MOD) and Rolls-Royce in a groundbreaking initiative to recycle components from retired Tornado aircraft into new parts for the next-generation Tempest fighter jets. This innovative project marks a first for the UK, showcasing the potential of advanced recycling and additive manufacturing techniques in defence applications.

The process involves dismantling surplus Tornado aircraft to extract high-quality metals such as titanium. These materials are then atomised into powders, which serve as feedstock for 3D printing new components. AMS successfully utilised this method to produce a 3D-printed nose cone and fan blades for Rolls-Royce’s Orpheus engine, a key element of the MOD’s Future Combat Air System (FCAS) program delivering Tempest. The newly manufactured nose cone was fitted onto an Orpheus test engine and passed rigorous suitability and safety checks, demonstrating the viability of this recycling approach for future military aircraft.

AMS is honoured to contribute its expertise in additive manufacturing to this collaborative effort, reinforcing its commitment to advancing sustainable and efficient solutions within the aerospace and defence sectors. Rob Higham stated: “This project turned our proposed solutions into a reality, and we have been very humbled and grateful to the MOD and Rolls Royce, for allowing us to showcase our capability to deliver game-changing circular economy processes and parts in Defence.”

The MOD press release can be found here: MOD News, the Rolls-Royce can be found here: Rolls Royce News and the RAF press release can be found RAF News.

We have also been awarded the Chief of Defence Logistics and Support (CDLS) Commendation for our commitment and dedication to the delivery and improvement of support to the front line, alongside the other members of this successful project. For the full list, please see this link to the MOD news post.

For more information about this project or AMS’s role in advancing additive manufacturing technologies, please contact us here: Contact.

Additive Manufacturing Solutions Ltd. is proud to announce that we have achieved ISO 9001 certification, the globally recognised standard for quality management systems (QMS). This certification underscores our commitment to delivering high-quality products and services to our customers while continually improving our processes.

ISO 9001 sets the criteria for QMS’, internationally. Achieving this certification demonstrates that AMS operates efficiently, meets regulatory requirements, and consistently provides products and services that meet customer expectations.

“Receiving ISO 9001 certification is yet another significant milestone for our company,” said Davey Higham, AM Technician at Additive Manufacturing Solutions Ltd. “It reflects our dedication to top quality, innovation, and customer satisfaction. This achievement not only validates our operational excellence but also strengthens our position as a trusted partner in the AM industry.”

The certification process involved a comprehensive review of our quality management system, internal procedures, and overall business operations to ensure compliance with ISO standards. Our team, more specifically Julie and Rob, our Operations Lead and CEO, have worked diligently to implement and maintain best practices that enhance efficiency and drive continuous improvement.

This achievement further reinforces our ability to deliver precision-engineered additive manufacturing solutions that meet the highest industry standards. As we continue to grow and innovate, our commitment to quality remains unwavering.

A special thank you to the team at Auva, who carried out the certification checks on site for us.

For more information about our ISO 9001 certification and how it benefits our customers, please contact us at our Contact page.

2024

For those reading this who don’t know our history, AMS was created by Rob and Katie Higham back in 2017 as an offering for consultancy support in additive manufacturing. This was managed alongside full-time roles, Rob as senior lecturer at University of Bolton and Katie as social worker across children and adult services. Those who know Rob will know additive manufacturing, specifically metal additive, runs through his veins. Rob is passionate about all things additive and really is a specialist with the passion and drive to ensure the success of AM. This is what lead to Rob deciding to take the plunge, apply for an Innovate UK funding stream and develop an idea to a proven study. In 2023 both Rob and Katie quit the day jobs and went full time at AMS. They have worked tirelessly and passionately since then to get AMS to where it is today and are determined to continue this growth trajectory to take AMS further in 2025 and beyond.

First Step

So what happened in 2024 I sense you asking … well January saw us fighting with our then landlord to fix the leaking roof on the 975sq.ft unit we had recently started renting but were unable to move into on a very old, run down industrial estate in Burscough. We finally got it sorted and moved into our first official premises. We quickly realised this wasn’t the place for us to bring our vision for AMS to life and found somewhere new. In July we moved into our brand-new facility on a new business park here in Burscough. Our building is 5000sq.ft and is ready for our expansion plans. We have already brought in our SLM280, numerous powder lab equipment thanks to Made Smarter funding and began tendering for further AM machine capabilities.

Events

We have enjoyed a wide variety of events this year from MACH to TCT3Sixty, RAPID to Formnext, EMPA conference to ADS Toulouse. We have strengthened our connections and partnerships across the board and well as met with new connections and relationships. We have enjoyed various events with the North West Aerospace Alliance, a real highlight being the annual conference where we got the opportunity to tour Concorde! We also thank them for support AMS with a trip to ADS Toulouse and a spot at the ATI Destination Zero Conference.

Lancashire

We continue to be proud members of the North and Western Lancashire Chamber of Commerce, attending many events throughout the year but the standout really has to be the Be Inspired Business Awards at which AMS were awarded Micro Business of the Year and highly commended as Innovative Business of the Year.  This was a fantastic event which brought a great sense of pride to us all at AMS for the external recognition for the outstanding work we are doing.

Standards

Throughout the year one of our main focuses has been on accolades and quality to ensure we are able to prove to our customers and partner our excellence in the field. We have been working tirelessly to meet the standards for ISO9001 which was anticipate will be awarded in January 2025, we have completed the Green Rose programme through RedCat and Chamber Low Carbon and been assessed by ESG assessors in July. At AMS, sustainability and our wider impacts are at the core of our values and therefore we ensure we take our responsibilities seriously and will continue this journey in 2025 by working towards ISO14001.

Team

Our people here at AMS are valued the most and we consider both skillset and mindset essential to the success of our company. We therefore invest in our people, their wellbeing and their growth. Joe successfully completed his first year of his apprenticeship and moved on to his second year. September saw the arrival of our second apprentice Reece who is settling well into his role and Katie has successfully completed module 1 of a Level 7 Chartered Management Institute course in strategic leadership and management. Katie is also part of a new cohort for Boost Lancashire’s Women’s Growth Catalyst Programme which she will complete in early 2025. Some highlights from our well-being events throughout the year include Joe using a golf club like a snooker cue at mini golf, the pleasure Julie took from successfully solving the crime in Sherlock Holmes at our games day and Davey learning to share his lunch willingly when his food looks good.

It has been a lot of hard work this year but also a lot of fun. Everyone at AMS sends heartfelt well wishes to you all for a successful 2025! We can’t wait to see what it brings for us here in the AMS family and our wider community!

AMS are delighted to announce our JOSCAR supplier accreditation.

What is JOSCAR?

JOSCAR (Joint Supply Chain Accreditation Register) is a supply chain portal that helps alleviate the administration pain that can come from the buying and selling of goods.

What does this mean for us?

JOSCAR allows us to be as open and transparent so that our customers can be reassured that we are committed to being the best production partner available. Alongside this, we are working towards ISO9001. We’re looking forward to share these details in the coming months.

What are the benefits of JOSCAR?

As a small production business, we are always looking at ways to help ease the burden of supply chain disruptions and minimise the barrier of entry for connecting to suppliers and buyers. JOSCAR creates this environment, allowing us to showcase our talent in production without having to worry. JOSCAR has a large focus on the defence and aerospace sectors.

I’d like to get JOSCAR accreditation, where do I start?

Well if you wanted to know a little more without having to go through the application form, then drop us an email and ask away, or if you wanted to get started on the application, please follow this link here.

As you may know, Additive Manufacturing Solutions had been nominated for two awards at the Be Inspired Business Awards (BIBAs), for Micro Business of the Year and Innovative Business of the Year.

It comes with great pride and surprise to announce that we can confirm that we have won commendation in Innovative Business of the Year and winner of Micro Business of the Year.

The team would like to share some of their thoughts.

COO, Katie, who was up on stage to collect the award on behalf of Additive Manufacturing Solutions. Katie states that “It’s about the recognition. We believe in what we do, but sometimes you question wether you’re making the right choices, but the external recognition that we have from others that have come in and judged what we do have said ‘you are doing a fantastic job’ with this award. I want everyone to know that if we can do it, anybody can do it.”

When asked how she felt about the awards, “So so proud. It’s a reflection of all of the thinking outside of the box that Robert does.”

Joe, Systems Engineer for AMS was at the awards show on Friday, stated that he was “made to feel more passionate about his job, and that what we are doing is going in the right direction.”

Davey, another one of our cohorts at the awards evening, was “blown away. I honestly never actually thought we’d get anything, never mind winning an award and being runner up in another. Incredible!”

Owner and CEO, Robert Higham told me that this award is meaningful in a way beyond words. “When you create a business from scratch, you have immense bias towards what you think you’re doing. You follow gut, you follow instinct, and you take it personally. It’s an emotional thing. External validation with congratulations that gets to the point of celebration is beyond comprehension as to how much that means to us.”

On behalf of AMS, we would like to thank North and Western Lancashire Chamber of Commerce and the BIBAs for an incredible awards show.

If you or your business would be interested in more details for next years BIBAs, see this link for more information.

We are delighted to announce that AMS has been awarded the highest level of Cyber Essentials, Cyber Essentials Plus certification, with a huge thank you to local Cyber Security Specialists, Predatech.

What is Cyber Essentials Plus?

Our certification now means that we can show our customers, domestically and international, that we are fully committed on data security. We know how important data security is, especially with our line of work being very much data focused.

Cyber Essentials is a government funded scheme that can provide help and understanding for businesses into cyber attacks and how to best equip yourselves with the tools to mitigate them.

Cyber Essentials is a self-assessed review which asks the user to perform as a self-auditor for the company, whereas Cyber Essentials Plus is much more hands on approach from a third party who perform the checks following the initial Cyber Essentials work, and into more detail and checks on machines and equipment used within the business.

Why Cyber Essentials Plus?

• Provide further security assurances to customers and employees.
• Become more aware of potential threats to loss of data and security availability.
• Further government contracts, such as the MOD, require Cyber Essentials certification, Cyber Essentials Plus is the more advanced version of this.

Okay, I’m interested in getting certified, where do I start?

It’s simple, first I’d recommend going to the National Cyber Security Centre website. and having a general read through the documentation and pages. If you’re interested in getting Cyber Essentials Plus certification, we cannot recommend Predatech enough. The assessment process was incredibly flexible to our timeframes, easy to understand (thanks to the staff at Predatech!), and we even saved a bit of money on some other companies who had offered their services to us.

We are thrilled to announce that AMS is taking a significant step towards a more sustainable future by partnering with ESG Assessors. This strategic collaboration marks the beginning of AMS’ sustainability journey, demonstrating their commitment to environmental impact, social responsibility, and strong governance.

A commitment to a Greener Future

AMS has always been at the forefront of innovation and excellence in the additive manufacturing industry. By integrating ESG (Environmental, Social and Governance) principles into their business operations, they are affirming their dedication to creating a positive impact on the environment and society.

This partnership will enable AMS to:

• Reduce Environmental Footprint: Implement strategies to minimise waste, reduce carbon emissions, and promote resource efficiency.

• Enhance Social Responsibility: Foster a positive work environment, support community initiatives, and ensure fair practices across their supply chain.

•  Strengthen Governance: Adopt transparent practices, improve stakeholder engagement, and ensure robust risk management

About ESG Assessors

ESG Assessors is a leading consultancy specialising in sustainability and ESG integration. Their expertise and innovative solutions will provide AMS with the tools and insights needed to meet and exceed their sustainability goals. Together, they will work on comprehensive assessments, strategic planning, and implementation of best practices to drive sustainable growth.

Looking Ahead

This partnership is just the beginning of an exciting journey. AMS is dedicated to continuous improvement and will regularly update stakeholders on their progress and achievements. Stay tuned for more updates as they set new benchmarks in sustainability and inspire others in the industry to follow suit.

Congratulations to AMS for this remarkable initiative! Your commitment to a sustainable future is truly commendable, and we look forward to witnessing the positive impacts of this journey.

AMS are delighted to share we are through to the final stage of two categories for this years BIBA awards! These are Innovative Business of the Year and Micro Business of the Year!

We are all really proud of this achievement and would like to congratulate all finalists.

For more information, please see https://www.thebibas.co.uk/

Additive Manufacturing Solutions Ltd (AMS) is embarking on an exciting new project to explore the feasibility and practical possibilities of using recycled metallic materials in additive manufacturing (AM).

The Innovate UK-funded project Recycling and Reuse of Aerospace Materials for Additive Manufacturing (R2AM2) will investigate the potential to recycle parts into feedstock for metal AM and the processability and final part performance of recycled AM production.

The recycling aircraft article by Dan Zhao et al 2021 estimates there are 740 tonnes of non-ferrous (not including aluminium) metals available to recycle each year but only a fraction of that is ever recycled. The project aims to explore a potential environmental step change in the ways materials are used for additive manufacturing.

Research suggests that the international AM powder market is expected to top $1 billion in 2023 with titanium likely 1/3 of that market (source: 6K Additive). As our planet is not an endless resource, alongside restrictions in supply and increase in costs due to ongoing conflict, it is more important than ever to look at the ca. 600 tonnes of recycled aircraft parts that could support this growth by providing a lower cost, high quality product. AMS is calling this high value scrap mining and believes if re-usable feedstock is available, it is likely that an alternate to mining can be seen in the UK for the UK market.

CEO and founder of AMS, Robert Higham, said: “The UK was once a leader in AM technology, and we have since seen a stagnation period, with our work alongside the output of this project we aspire to enable a vibrant and highly profitable UK source of feedstock and catalyst for material producing parts for our defence, space, aerospace, and automotive industries.

Having Innovate UK support our research and development in this field is a significant and crucial step in our plans as AMS. If we are to continue with our ambitious plans to promote and increase on shore manufacturing it is crucial we enable a secure and sustainable supply chain of product. This project is the first step in providing valuable data as to the true possibilities of high value circular economy development. We are honoured to be awarded the funding to allow us to take this idea to an industrial feasibility state.”

The project is underway and will end in November 2023. AMS will be using scrap aerospace parts and recycling them into powder which will then be tested and used to manufacture new parts. These new parts will provide the vital data needed to evaluate if this process is effective in providing recycled materials for high quality feedstock for AM in the UK.

Additive Manufacturing Solutions Ltd. (AMS) has officially expanded its in-house capabilities with the acquisition of Nikon SLM Solutions’ SLM®280 2.0 system.

This strategic move not only bolsters AMS’s capacity for producing advanced materials and novel alloys but also amplifies their standing as a service provider with exceptional toolpath control capabilities, thanks to their partnership and expertise with Dyndrite software. AMS are developing and creating metal powders for AM from recycled parts. This high value circular economy approach to material development alongside the SLM®280 2.0 system provides a step change in AM sustainability.

Nikon SLM Solutions’s UK partner Kingsbury has supplied and installed the SLM 280 2.0, bolstering their commitment to delivering and supporting metal additive adoption in the United Kingdom. The new equipment and the AMS team will be further supported by Additure, a division of the Kingsbury group dedicated to accelerating the adoption of metal AM technologies.

Richard Kingsbury commented “With Additure we have the perfect mechanism to ably assist you on your metal AM journey. Combining that with the pedigree of machine tools service and support from Kingsbury means that we can provide end-to-end capability to our customers. We are thrilled to be working with AMS at this stage of their journey and we look forward to more exciting announcements in the near future. “

Robert Higham, CEO of AMS, celebrates the new acquisition, “With the integration of the SLM®280 2.0 into our operations, we are poised to revolutionize the material and process capabilities within the additive manufacturing (AM) industry. This advancement is coupled with our pioneering Additive Manufacturing AcademyTM, set to deliver hands-on experience and groundbreaking training in additive manufacturing.”

AMS, a frontrunner in sustainable and innovative manufacturing solutions, now harnesses the SLM®280 2.0 to drive rapid material development capabilities. This addition is expected to have a significant impact on their production efficiency, allowing for a more substantial presence in the UK motorsport, defence, aerospace and space markets.

“AMS’s acquisition of the SLM®280 2.0 machine marks a significant milestone in the additive manufacturing landscape.  Their foresight to integrate Dyndrite’s cutting-edge toolpath technology exemplifies a forward-thinking approach to innovation and precision in production,” comments Nikon SLM Solutions CCO, Charlie Grace, “At Nikon SLM Solutions, we take pride in empowering our partners like AMS, who are not only advancing their capabilities but also shaping the future of sustainable and efficient manufacturing. This collaboration reflects our shared commitment to excellence and our continuous endeavor to push the boundaries of what’s possible in additive manufacturing.”

Leveraging Dyndrite for Enhanced Toolpath Control

Incorporating Dyndrite’s powerful toolpath control software, AMS is equipped to offer enhanced toolpath control and optimisation capabilities as part of their service offerings. Dyndrite’s unique GPU accelerated geometry engine, APIs and application allows AMS to maximise additive manufacturing AM capabilities, providing a competitive edge over traditional toolpathing solutions with its speed, flexibility, and precision.

“The Dyndrite toolpath control unleashes unparalleled levels of control and efficiency in AM processes,” explains Higham. “Our work with Dyndrite’s technology underpins our position as material and process development leaders, providing scalable and dynamic AM solutions to meet the ever-evolving demands of the industry.”