3T RPD has been awarded AS 9100 Rev C for the production of metal parts using additive manufacturing (AM). 3T is the first AM Company in the UK to hold AS 9100 Rev C, ISO 9001:2008 and ISO 13485:2003.

Announcing the award, Ian Halliday, 3T's CEO said: "Achieving AS 9100 for our metal AM production demonstrates our continuing quest to build the best parts for our customers. It shows we are pursuing the highest standards of excellence and believe it will reinforce our customers' confidence in our processes."

"The advantages of additive manufacturing, such as the ability to build parts with reduced weight whilst maintaining the structural strength, mean that the technology offers real opportunities to engineers in many fields and especially aircraft design. We look forward to working with designers in the aerospace and defence industries to capitalise on the benefits of AM."

The AS 9100 standard is the international management system standard for the Aircraft, Space and Defence (AS&D) industry. The standard provides suppliers with a comprehensive quality system for ensuring safe and reliable products to the aerospace industry. AS 9100 Rev C was released in 2009 and extends the previous standard to include the defence industry as well as aviation and space.

3T's Quality Manager, Rachel Eggington said: "The improved standard includes a greater focus on project management and customer satisfaction, which reflects 3T's core values. We are now registered on the OASIS Database and would like to issue an open invitation to Aircraft, Space and Defence companies to come and audit us, so that they can verify our quality systems and we can join their approved supplier list."