Fabrication Process Mechanic - Heat Treat

The order and the backlog. Airbus revealed the deal in its monthly orders and deliveries update, and it was first reported by FlightGlobal. Airbus did not identify the buyer, a common arrangement for freighter deals, where lessors and cargo carriers often ask to stay anonymous until closer to delivery. The A350F backlog now stands at 115 firm orders. Named customers over the program's life have included Atlas Air, the largest with about 20 aircraft, along with Etihad Airways, Singapore Airlines, Cathay Pacific, Silk Way West and the freight arms of CMA CGM and Air France-KLM. Some early commitments have since been trimmed or restructured as the schedule slipped. A new order for an untested aircraft carries some signal of confidence, though an undisclosed buyer limits how much can be read into it. Airbus has repeatedly said freighter demand remains firm despite the delays. A late first flight. Airbus launched the A350F in 2021 and once aimed to fly it in 2025. Supply chain problems, most visibly at the Spirit AeroSystems plant that builds the A350's center fuselage, pushed the schedule back by roughly two years. The first of two flight-test aircraft rolled out of the Toulouse final assembly line in August in a special parcel-carton livery. Airbus is aiming for a first flight around September 24, though it has said the date could slip into October. Certification and the first delivery are planned for the second half of 2027. Why airlines are waiting for it. The A350F is a twin-engine freighter derived from the A350 widebody. Airbus lists a payload of up to about 111 tonnes (245,000 lb) and a range near 4,700 nautical miles, and says it burns around 20 percent less fuel per trip than the Boeing 777F it is meant to replace. Timing matters as much as fuel burn. A tighter ICAO carbon dioxide standard takes effect for newly built aircraft in 2028, and the current 777F does not meet it, so Boeing plans to end its production. Boeing's replacement, the larger 777-8F, is not expected to enter service until later in the decade. That gap is the core of the A350F's sales case. Air cargo demand has held up, much of the world freighter fleet is built on aging 747s, 767s and MD-11s, and for a stretch of years the A350F may be the only new aircraft in its size class that an airline can order without an emissions problem waiting on delivery. The date is still a target Airbus has moved the A350F schedule several times since 2021. A late-September first flight leaves little margin before year-end, and the second-half-2027 delivery goal depends on a certification campaign the company itself calls very dense. Airbus is separately running behind on its 2026 delivery target, a reminder that firm orders and a full backlog do not by themselves keep a program on schedule. The latest aviation news and stories sent to your inbox. Tim is the owner and lead editor of AeroCorner since 2019, overseeing aviation content covering aircraft, airlines, airports, and the broader aviation industry. Through years of researching, writing, editing, and publishing aviation-focused content, he has developed extensive practical knowledge of commercial aviation and air travel. Based in Asia and a frequent traveler himself, Tim also brings firsthand passenger experience to AeroCorner's coverage. Outside of publishing, he has also explored aviation firsthand through hands-on flight training in New Zealand.

GEFERTEC launches arcTitan, a Sealed-Chamber WAAM System Built for Titanium. Berlin-based company GEFERTEC has launched arcTitan, a wire-arc additive manufacturing (WAAM) system built specifically for titanium processing, combining a fully enclosed inert gas atmosphere with a plasma-based deposition process. The company says the system achieves stable, reproducible process control by holding oxygen levels inside the build chamber to between 10 and 15 parts per million throughout the entire build. Purpose-built for a difficult material Titanium's high strength-to-weight ratio and corrosion resistance make it a preferred material for aerospace and energy applications, but its sensitivity to atmospheric contamination during processing has long complicated additive workflows. GEFERTEC's answer is a sealed build chamber flooded with shielding gas, removing the need for external enclosures or auxiliary gas systems, paired with a plasma-based arc process the company says allows tighter control over heat input and more consistent part quality. "The greatest challenge in the additive manufacturing of titanium is ensuring reproducible process conditions," said Johannes Zuckschwerdt, GEFERTEC's managing director. "With the arcTitan, we have therefore developed a system in which the build chamber, welding process and peripheral equipment have all been designed specifically for this material." GEFERTEC says every relevant subsystem, from gas management and sensor technology to wire feeding and parameter control, was engineered around titanium's specific requirements rather than adapted from a general-purpose machine. The arcTitan offers a 2 x 0.7 x 1 meter build envelope and a maximum deposition rate of 3 kg per hour, and GEFERTEC describes the system as modular, allowing configurations to be tailored to individual end users. GEFERTEC positions arcTitan as being of particular interest to aerospace and energy companies, two sectors where titanium's weight and corrosion advantages are most commercially valuable and where certification standards make repeatable process conditions especially important. Part of a four-machine WAAM family GEFERTEC positions arcTitan as one tier in a broader machine lineup rather than a one-off product. The company's current range spans four systems: the arc10X, a versatile industrial platform for general WAAM production; the arc80X, built for larger components with build volumes up to 8 m^3; arcTitan, purpose-built specifically for titanium, aluminum, and nickel-based alloys; and arcLab, a smaller, budget-oriented system aimed at research and training environments. All four share a common feature set, including GEFERTEC's 3DMP process monitoring, automated ignition-error correction, and Siemens SINUMERIK ONE control, and the company describes the whole range as CE-certified, scalable, and built to integrate into existing manufacturing workflows. That structure suggests arcTitan isn't a standalone experiment but the reactive-material tier of a segmented product strategy, where customers select a machine based on build size and material rather than buying one general-purpose system and configuring it after the fact. GEFERTEC has not disclosed when arcTitan will be commercially available or which customers, if any, are already testing the system. Specializing the Machine to Win the Material GEFERTEC's strategy with arcTitan is to stop treating titanium as an add-on option box and instead build a standalone system engineered end to end for one material. That matters because titanium's biggest AM adoption barrier is process repeatability under regulatory scrutiny, and aerospace and energy buyers are more likely to qualify a dedicated system than a general machine with a titanium mode. Other WAAM specialists have followed the same logic of narrowing focus to win high-value titanium work. Cranfield University spin-out WAAM3D built its reputation on exactly this kind of material-specific engineering, showcasing a titanium tank for aerospace manufacturer Thales Alenia Space that saved 200 kg of material, cut costs by 65%, and reduced CO2 and energy use by 80% compared with conventional processes. Norsk Titanium took a similar path from the metal-supplier side rather than the machine-builder side: Spirit AeroSystems partnered with Norsk Titanium to produce titanium parts for Boeing aircraft using Rapid Plasma Deposition, a wire-fed DED variant, demonstrating the approach at scale for large aerospace structures. GEFERTEC's bet is that owning the full system, rather than the material expertise alone, is what turns titanium WAAM from a research capability into a qualifiable production process. 3D Printing Industry is inviting speakers for its 2026 Additive Manufacturing Applications (AMA) series, covering Energy, Healthcare, Automotive and Mobility, Aerospace, Space and Defense, and Software. Each online event focuses on real production deployments, qualification, and supply chain integration. Practitioners interested in contributing can complete the call for speakers form here. Explore the full Future of 3D Printing and Executive Survey series from 3D Printing Industry, featuring perspectives from CEOs, engineers, and industry leaders on the industrialization of additive manufacturing, 3D printing industry trends 2026, qualification, supply chains, and additive manufacturing industry analysis. Featured image shows arcTitan, a Sealed-Chamber WAAM System Built for Titanium. Image via GEFERTEC.

Qarbon Aerospace adds aerospace and defense veteran Duane Hawkins to Board of Directors. June 9, 2026 Duane Hawkins Qarbon Aerospace has appointed aerospace and defense industry veteran Duane Hawkins to its Board of Directors, adding more than four decades of leadership experience as the company continues expanding its position in advanced composite aerostructures and assemblies. Hawkins most recently served as President of Defense & Space at Spirit AeroSystems, where he oversaw programs and operations across defense and space markets. His career also includes senior leadership positions at Raytheon Missile Systems and General Dynamics, where he developed expertise in program management, manufacturing engineering, and supply chain operations. The appointment comes as Qarbon Aerospace seeks to strengthen its leadership team and support future growth initiatives across commercial aerospace, defense, and space sectors. "Duane has built an exceptional career across some of the most respected organizations in aerospace and defense," said Michael Canario, Chief Executive Officer of Qarbon Aerospace. "His experience at Spirit AeroSystems, Raytheon, and General Dynamics has given him a deep understanding of this industry that will be invaluable to Qarbon Aerospace." Peter Manos, Managing Partner at Arlington Capital Partners, highlighted Hawkins' extensive industry perspective and experience managing major defense programs. "Duane brings an impeccable reputation and deep expertise across the aerospace and defense sector, with a perspective shaped by decades of leadership at the industry's most prominent organizations," Manos said. "His experience with leading defense programs and technologies brings a viewpoint to Qarbon that will add immediate value as the company continues its growth as a leading independent Tier 1 manufacturer of next-generation defense platforms." Hawkins said his familiarity with Qarbon's products and leadership team made the opportunity particularly appealing. "I am very excited to be part of Qarbon Aerospace," Hawkins said. "I have worked with and received product from Qarbon and its management team for years with impressive results. Qarbon has tremendous potential to expand its current aerospace and defense footprint, and I look forward to assisting in that effort." Qarbon Aerospace manufactures advanced composite components and assemblies used on commercial aircraft, military platforms, and spacecraft. The company operates nearly two million square feet of manufacturing space across facilities in Texas, Georgia, and Thailand, with vertically integrated capabilities ranging from component fabrication to large-scale assembly. The company also develops proprietary thermoplastics technologies and maintains longstanding relationships with major aerospace original equipment manufacturers (OEMs) serving commercial, defense, and business aviation markets. With Hawkins joining the board, Qarbon Aerospace continues to strengthen its governance and strategic leadership as it pursues growth opportunities in global aerospace and defense markets.