At the request of Airbus, in 2012 SMW began to develop proprietary AlMgSc system alloys for use in aerospace applications
R&D was concentrated in three areas:
1. High-strength materials for extruded profiles and welded fuselage panels (the Almascan Project)
2. Thin sheet material for laminated fiber layers and aircraft skin panels (AeroFML Project)
3. Wire and powder materials for additive manufacturing, encompassing production of large-sized structures (HERMEAS Project)
AeroFML
The developed technology entails production of high-strength materials for aerospace industry on the basis of Al-Mg-Sc by ultrarapid crystallization process.
AeroFML is a variation of Almascan system, developed/optimized specifically for rolling aerospace-grade thin sheet, possessing high mechanical properties, albeit somewhat below the highest-performance RSPM Almascan material.
Wire Feedstock for Laser-Cladding
Innovative additive manufacturing process developed for cladding magnesium wire feedstock and AlMgSc wire feedstock is being set-up in Latvia. Wire-clad structures preserve higher properties (strength, elongation, etc.). The walls are thicker, but bionic design is implementable — thus delivering significant weight reduction vs. traditional designs attained through subtractive manufacturing processes (CNC machining, etc.).
EMblock
EMblock is distinguished by innovative composite shielding features for protecting people and equipment from excessive electromagnetic, thermal and acoustic emissions.
Spacecraft, various vehicles, as well as premises and equipment can be shielded by structural panels to absorb and dissipate, rather than to reflect, EMFs — thus minimizing the levels of exposure upon the surroundings and personnel/bystanders, as well as possessing stealth characteristics (making the object hardly detectable).