IperionX to manufacture titanium plate for testing by Lockheed Martin

IperionX Limited has been contracted to deliver titanium plate components built utilising its US-manufactured titanium to aerospace company Lockheed Martin to provide a lower cost and more sustainable supply chain for titanium raw material.

In an ASX announcement, IperionX said Lockheed Martin’s titanium plate components will be manufactured using powder metallurgy processes and IperionX’s advanced titanium angular powder.

“Reducing the cost of titanium components will mean broader use of this material to increase the performance of our products,” said Brian Rosenberger, Lockheed Martin senior fellow for Additive Manufacturing Processes and Materials.

He emphasised that with this order, Lockheed Martin will carry out a preliminary assessment of the titanium plate material’s material quality and mechanical performance.

IperionX will also use its patented Hydrogen Sintering and Phase Transformation (HSPT) technologies to improve performance and durability, a cutting-edge technique for improving the microstructure of titanium parts to deliver strength and fatigue properties comparable to wrought titanium alloys.

Anastasios Arima, IperionX CEO, stated that the partnership with Lockheed Martin marks yet another significant step in IperionX’s revolutionary low-carbon titanium technologies’ commercialisation.

“These patented technologies can either use titanium minerals or titanium scrap metal as feedstock to manufacture high-quality titanium products at significantly lower cost and carbon footprint than existing production processes,” Arima said.

The Lockheed Martin prototype order is based on previous open market transactions for similar items and technical services, and the overall value of the contract is insignificant to IperionX’s cash position or balance sheet.

IperionX said it anticipates completing an initial prototyping work program in 26 weeks.

According to the ASX-listed company, titanium is a crucial material for various defence systems in the United States, including military fighter aircraft and engines, munition and weapon components, naval platforms, and military ground vehicles.

Lockheed Martin uses titanium alloys extensively for vital structures and other key components across the spectrum of its products for air, land, sea, and space.

Founded in 2017, IperionX is a developer of low-carbon titanium for advanced industries including space, aerospace, electric vehicles and 3D printing.