Aerospace
Before COVID-19 hit, the aerospace industry was flying and aerospace additive manufacturing had taken off. Short, medium and long-term perspectives were excellent and the entire aerospace industrial segment was jumping right AM for final part production. That all came to a virtual standstill for several months, as global aviation traffic collapsed and demand for new planes slowed dramatically.
However, the advantages of weight optimization for any object that leaves the ground are such that the benefits from topology optimization and generative, optimized lattice geometries, made possible by AM, remained clear. In addition, AM gradually emerged as a solution to address supply chain resiliency issues and enabled production flexibility both in terms of meeting smaller orders on-demand, without the need of building large inventories, and shifting to new production lines (for example medical supplies) as needed. Even space companies like Blue Origin were 3D printing PPE devices at the height of the COVID-19 supply chain crisis.
For just over a year a lot of the attention of aerospace additive manufacturing companies shifted towards new aerospace businesses, such as electric flight, new supersonic flight, VTOL‘s, personal fight devices, commercial aviation, drones, defense and especially space. Last year, 3dpbm’s AM focus on aerospace zoomed in specifically on the use of AM in these exciting segments of the aerospace industry. The use of AM in Space, in particular, has really taken off, with several companies now trailing SpaceX and using AM to make the jump into orbit more accessible and affordable.
Now the commercial aviation industry seems set to take back its leading role both within the aerospace segment and in driving the evolution of additive manufacturing for final parts production. Important new opportunities continue to emerge in this area in both metal AM and polymer AM, used for metal replacement and composites. Advancements in CAD, CAE, CAM and PLM software are driving the need for AM in general and commercial aviation manufacturing. More optimized, complex shapes and the need for a more automated production process make AM ideal for a growing number of production requirements.
The new aerospace industry does not have to wait for new, higher speed AM technologies. The productivity offered by current polymer powder bed fusion and even thermoplastic filament extrusion systems – as well as metal powder bed fusion, directed energy deposition systems and soon metal binder jetting – is already enough to meet demand. And the extensive range of high-performance materials now supported by these technologies is an ideal fit for many advanced flying parts.
Follow us this month of June as we zoom in on the most interesting, relevant, profitable and beneficial applications of aerospace additive manufacturing.
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SWISSto12 launches US entity, St12 RF Solutions Inc.
SWISSto12’s newly incorporated St12 RF Solutions, Inc. will collaborate with Frontgrade Technologies to deliver complex differentiated RF solutions to the US aerospace market that enable the next generation of critical…
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David Kalinske appointed as VulcanForms’ VP and GM of Aerospace and Defense
VulcanForms, an MIT-born company that builds and operates advanced digital manufacturing infrastructure, has appointed David Kalinske as Vice President and General Manager of Aerospace and Defense. Kalinske is an industry…
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TWI to hold Aerospace Panel and Innovation Conference
TWI is hosting an Aerospace Panel and Innovation Conference. The in-person event is taking place at the company’s headquarters near Cambridge, UK, and is ideal for those working in aerospace,…
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Portland State Aerospace Society’s (PSAS) OreSat0 CubeSat gets to orbit
3D printed components have been manufactured by CRP USA, for the Portland State Aerospace Society’s (PSAS) OreSat0 CubeSat, Oregon’s first satellite, which was deployed into low earth orbit in March…
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Researchers aim to 3D print batteries from Lunar and Martian soil
The University of Texas at El Paso (UTEP) has joined a project led by NASA to leverage 3D printing processes with the aim of manufacturing rechargeable batteries using Lunar and…
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Third time’s a charm for Relativity’s 3D printed Terran 1 rocket
It has been a long time coming for those of us that have followed Relativity Space since the very start and that time has finally arrived. After two attempts canceled…
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Redwire’s upgraded BFF 3D bioprinter installed on ISS
Redwire’s BFF, the 3D BioFabrication Facility is America’s first bioprinter with a permanent home on the International Space Station (ISS). In early 2023, NASA astronauts successfully installed an upgraded BFF…
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NASA forms two new institutes focused on 3D printing and quantum technology
In support of its effort to support its long-term exploration goals, NASA has announced plans to create two new institutes to develop technology in critical areas for engineering and climate…