A key to future success in the aerospace industry will be to reduce the buy-to-fly ratio of engines through the utilisation of lean manufacturing processes in the production of next generation jet engine parts. Powder bed Electron Beam Melting (EBM) and Direct Laser Deposition (DLD) are two advanced manufacturing processes that are now rapidly being acknowledged as innovative methods of Additive Manufacturing (AM) with the potential to produce near-net shaped final components. Before the potential of each of these processes can be truly realised, representative geometries produced require an analysis of the process variables, microstructure and mechanical property relationships. This project will look to characterise the mechanical and microstructural evolution of innovative aerospace components through a series of miniaturised mechanical tests and advanced imaging including X-ray CT and EBSD. Research will be fed into ongoing development and validation strategies at GKN in order for advanced manufactured components to be safely implemented into future gas turbine applications.