3D printing in the aerospace industry

Additive manufacturing offers modern manufacturers the easiest way to build with materials they already know and expands the range of what is possible with new technological developments. Produce end-use carbon fiber composites unattended overnight. Skip multi-week lead times and accelerate the cost of composite prototypes, tooling and fixtures. Print parts from high-performance thermoplastics with excellent flame, smoke and toxicity (FST) properties with the strength and weight benefits of continuous carbon fiber reinforcement (CFR).

To be competitive in a highly regulated industry, OEMs, MRO service providers, commercial airlines and other industry players must prioritize safety and performance while adhering to strict regulatory guidelines and finding ways to increase efficiencies within the organization.

Compared to traditional manufacturing processes, additive manufacturing offers tangible technical and business benefits for aerospace companies: speed and short lead times, optimized designs, cost efficiency, printing directly at the point of need with distributed manufacturing and reduced need for tooling.

High strength, low weight
Over time, aircraft parts traditionally made of aluminum alloys have been increasingly replaced by composite materials such as carbon fiber - today a Boeing 787 is 50 % composite and 80 % volume.
Why are aerospace manufacturers constantly finding new applications for composite materials? With the introduction of 3D printed parts as aircraft components, it is imperative to minimize the weight of the parts - this can lead to an improvement in fuel efficiency while minimizing CO2 emissions.

If, for example, aluminum in aircraft and helicopters is replaced by lighter, equally strong composite materials, the total weight of each replaced part can easily be reduced by several kilograms.
However, a lower weight must not be at the expense of the strength or material properties of the part - every manufactured part must meet strict safety and reliability requirements.

Printing carbon fiber-reinforced parts with aerospace-grade materials on the Digital Forge can result in parts as strong as 6061-T6 aluminum while offering a significant weight reduction compared to metal parts of comparable strength.

Material properties
In addition to high strength and low weight, materials for aerospace applications must also be corrosion resistant and able to withstand a wide range of operating temperatures. Aerospace-grade materials such as Onyx FR-A, Carbon Fiber FR-A and ULTEM™ 9085* filament (printable on the FX20) can withstand the operating temperatures of most aerospace applications.

Compliance with legal regulations
The aerospace industry is subject to strict regulations. In order to qualify for flight, all aircraft parts and materials must be approved by the relevant regulatory authority - such as the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) or the European Aviation Safety Agency (EASA).

Aerospace manufacturers must demonstrate that their parts and materials meet FAA requirements for a comprehensive set of test criteria, including strength, durability, UV exposure, fluid sensitivity, vibration, traceability and flame, smoke and toxicity testing (FST).