Rapid Plasma Deposition (RPD) by Norsk Titanium: status and timeline

Rapid Plasma Deposition (RPD)

Wire-fed additive manufacturing process that deposits titanium layer by layer using a plasma arc. Produces near-net-shape structural components that need minimal machining and meet aerospace certification standards.

ScalingStage 5 of 5

FAA-approved with 2,000+ parts in service. Production scaling with Airbus partnership.

Updated Jun 2026Checked 10 Oct0 updates this week

Milestones

Next · Scaling production with Airbus qualification in progress

First FAA approval for 3D-printed structural titanium parts2016Complete.
First Boeing 787 Dreamliner parts delivered2018Complete.
2,000th part delivered to Boeing2025Complete.
Cooperation agreement with Airbus for high-criticality partsJun 2026Complete.
Scaling production with Airbus qualification in progressTarget 2026Current milestone.

Most important updates

Airbus and Norsk Titanium announce cooperation to industrialize RPD for structural titanium partsJun 2026

Upcoming

2026Scaling production with Airbus qualification in progress (next)
2027Airbus high-criticality component qualification

Current obstacles

Scaling to larger partsAs parts grow, uniform cooling and avoiding segregation becomes harder. Airbus partnership addresses this.
Process speed and throughputDeposition rate is slower than forging or casting for high-volume production, though the minimal machining offset compensates.

Physics limits

Thermal gradients in large depositionsThe molten pool and surrounding material cool at different rates, risking segregation or residual stress. Larger parts exacerbate this; preheating and controlled cooling help but add process time.
Wire feed geometry constraintsSome complex geometries are difficult to reach with a fixed torch and feed path. Multi-axis wire routing is a research area.

How it works

3 parts

Wire feedstock

Titanium wire as raw material

RPD uses titanium wire, less wasteful than powder. Wire feeds continuously into the deposition zone.

Plasma torch

High-temperature arc melts the wire

A plasma torch in argon reaches 10,000 K, melting wire as it deposits. Molten pool solidifies layer by layer.

Precise geometry

Controlled deposition creates near-net-shape parts

Computer-controlled torch and wire feed produce near-net-shape with minimal waste and machining.

Spec sheet

Spec	Rapid Plasma Deposition (RPD)
FAA approval status	Approved for structural components^R (reported)
Parts in commercial service	2,000+^R (reported)
Aircraft types in use	Boeing 787 Dreamliner, Airbus A350 (incoming)^R (reported)

^R reported by the company

Update log

1 update

Jun 2026

Major: Airbus and Norsk Titanium announce cooperation to industrialize RPD for structural titanium partsPressCommercial

About Norsk Titanium

The team behind Rapid Plasma Deposition (RPD)

Norsk Titanium

Rapid Plasma Deposition titanium aerospace

Norsk Titanium manufactures titanium structural components using Rapid Plasma Deposition. With FAA approval and 2,000+ parts on Airbus and Boeing aircraft, it operates production in Plattsburgh, NY and Hønefoss, Norway.

Norsk Titanium commercializes Rapid Plasma Deposition for titanium structural parts in aircraft.
With 2,000+ FAA-approved parts on commercial aircraft, it has transitioned from engineering qualification to large-scale production.
In June 2026, Airbus and Norsk Titanium partnered to industrialize RPD for high-criticality structural components.

norsktitanium.com (opens norsktitanium.com)Company profile →

Founded: 200719 yrs
Headquarters: Norway
Status: Public
Valuation: public
Works in: ManufacturingMetal 3D printing
Coverage: 1 program · 2 updateslatest 1 Jun 2026checked 10 Oct
Customers: Airbus (opens airbus.com)Boeing (opens boeing.com)General Atomics (opens ga.com)Safran (opens safran-group.com)

Spec

Rapid Plasma Deposition (RPD)

FAA approval status

Approved for structural components^R (reported)

Parts in commercial service

2,000+^R (reported)

Aircraft types in use

Boeing 787 Dreamliner, Airbus A350 (incoming)^R (reported)