Lockheed Martin has obtained the US Government approval to use a groundbreaking cryogenic titanium machining process in the production of the F-35 Lightning II stealth fighter.

Cryogenic titanium machining improves cuttingtool life by a factor of 10 with appropriate material removal processing speed. The joint program office in coordination with the F-35 fracture control board (FCB) approved the new process for standard roughing operations, impacting the most time-consuming and cost-intensive machining processes associated with manufacturing titanium parts. Broadly applied, this new technology could improve affordability and efficiency in the production of F-35, which is approximately 25 per cent titanium by weight.

The team of Creare Incorporated, H.M. Dunn Company, and MAG IAS has worked with Lockheed Martin, the US Navy small business innovation research (SBIR) programme office and the F-35 JPO for several years on the development of the low flow cryogenic machining of titanium, funded through SBIR programme awards. The high performance titanium machining process was designed, developed and tested at Creare, Inc., headquartered in Hanover, New Hampshire.

“This is a prime example of an SBIR-developed technology transitioning from the research and development phase to a system that can enhance affordability for near-term military projects like the F-35,” said Mike Packer, Vice President of Manufacturing Strategy & Technical Integration at Lockheed Martin Aeronautics.