GKN Aerospace earns NADCAP accreditation for laser wire DED

Aerospace supplier GKN Aerospace has gained NADCAP accreditation for laser wire directed energy deposition (L-DED-w), an additive manufacturing process. The company says it is the first organisation in the world to be accredited for this process.

NADCAP is the aerospace industry’s independent accreditation programme for special processes. The audit covers process controls, operating procedures, personnel qualifications, equipment, material control and traceability. In short, an industry-recognised body confirms that a supplier’s process meets aerospace expectations for quality and traceability.

In L-DED-w, metal wire is melted by a laser and deposited layer by layer. GKN says components it has designed, developed and delivered fully certified with this method are already in flight. Sébastien Aknouche, Senior Vice President of Material Solutions at GKN Aerospace, says customers are looking for trusted partners to help industrialise advanced manufacturing technologies, and describes the accreditation as an important step towards wider use of L-DED-w across aerospace and defence.

Source: VoxelMatters – GKN Aerospace earns NADCAP accreditation for laser wire DED (3 November 2026)