MTC hosts AILEEN Pilot Course on Metal Additive Manufacturing

To address the growing skills gap in advanced manufacturing across Europe’s defence and aerospace sectors, the Manufacturing Technology Centre (MTC) in Coventry, UK, hosted a three-day pilot course on the Design of Metal Additive Manufacturing (AM) Parts for Aerospace and Defence. Supported by the AILEEN project, the session focused on Powder Bed Fusion (PBF) technology, aligning curriculum content with the International Additive Manufacturing Qualification System (IAMQS) to provide Europe-wide recognized certification.

The in-person session brought together key stakeholders from the defence supply chain, including:
• Industrial Practitioners & Engineers: Professionals seeking to transition traditional engineering designs into optimized 3D-printed metal components.
• Defence Sector Specialists: Representatives focusing on high-value, domain-specific manufacturing requirements and supply chain resilience.

The pilot successfully established a validated framework for cross-border skill accreditation by directly aligning its modules with IAMQS standards. By gathering actionable insights from participants, the project gained invaluable feedback to refine and elevate future curriculum releases. Ultimately, this effort enhances defence suppliers' operational readiness—equipping them to implement complex component consolidation, advanced lightweighting, and rapid prototyping workflows with confidence.