The capabilities of additive manufacturing make this technology an ideal match for the aerospace manufacturing industry. Aerospace companies are always seeking new, innovative technologies to improve products and operations. Additive manufacturing enables these businesses to enhance product performance and make operations more efficient.
Within the aerospace industry, there is significant adoption of additive manufacturing technologies. There are often pressing time constraints and production demands on aerospace companies, more so than in some other manufacturing industries. In aerospace, products must continuously perform at top levels, repairs have to be done quickly and accurately, and part failure could be fatal.
The design flexibility and quick turnaround times offered by additive manufacturing technologies help aerospace companies meet these stringent requirements. The multitude of applications and benefits that additive manufacturing offers are driving aerospace innovations and helping to propel the industry into the future.
Additive Manufacturing Benefits for Aerospace
Additive manufacturing is an umbrella term for several technologies, including 3D printing and 3D scanning. 3D printing enables aerospace manufacturers to produce components with complex geometries and complicated designs. With additive manufacturing, companies can print designs that would be impossible to create with traditional manufacturing methods.
This exemplifies one of additive manufacturing’s primary benefits for the aerospace industry: design freedom. The level of design flexibility enabled by 3D printing doesn’t only allow for complex geometries but also custom parts. If aerospace manufacturers need to create non-standard parts, they can easily do so with a 3D printer. This capability also helps manufacturers quickly create replacement parts for quick repairs, a particularly useful benefit in aerospace.
Another main advantage of additive manufacturing in aerospace is the ability to create lightweight parts. Reducing the weight of components used in aircraft helps to increase fuel efficiency, which cuts operating costs. Decreasing fuel consumption also enables aircraft to increase payload capacity, enabling more cost savings over the lifetime of the aircraft.
In addition to lightweighting, additive manufacturing enables aerospace companies to improve the performance of parts. Additive manufacturing’s rapid prototyping and iteration capabilities allow designers to optimize a part’s design, thus optimizing performance.
Enhancing designs also helps to reduce waste in production. Unlike subtractive manufacturing, 3D printing only utilizes the material necessary to create a part. This eliminates material waste and lowers material costs, offering even more benefits to aerospace manufacturers.
Real-World Examples of Additive Manufacturing in Aerospace
Many industries within the manufacturing sector are just starting to explore additive manufacturing applications outside of prototyping, but aerospace has been creating end-use parts with this technology for many years. There are many 3D-printed engine components for aircraft, including fuel nozzles and turbine blades. Additively manufacturing these parts helps to enhance engine performance, increase part durability, and reduce aircraft maintenance.
One real-world example of implementing this technology comes from GE Aviation. This aerospace company has successfully used additive manufacturing to produce fuel nozzles for its LEAP engines. These nozzles are 25% lighter and five times more durable than the company’s traditionally manufactured counterparts. As a result of using 3D-printed parts, GE Aviation has increased efficiency of its aircraft engines and reduced emissions.
Another example is Airbus, which has integrated 3D-printed components into its A350 XWB aircraft. Using lightweight components has also helped the company improve fuel efficiency. Airbus initially sought out additive manufacturing to speed up the manufacturing process and meet tight deadlines for its A350 XWB aircraft, and the company continues to use the technology due to its myriad benefits.
Additional applications for additive manufacturing include creating structural components — such as brackets, ducts, and support structures — as well as custom tooling and fixtures. These are all necessary for the assembly and maintenance of aircraft.
All of these applications exemplify why aerospace companies continue to leverage additive manufacturing. The capability to optimize design and performance with this technology will continue to drive wide adoption of additive manufacturing in aerospace.
Additive Manufacturing's Future in the Aerospace Industry
Additive manufacturing will continue to advance aerospace innovations, driving progress in materials, processes, and products. New materials being designed for additive manufacturing — such as polymers, ceramics, and metal alloys — are already being used in innovative ways in the aerospace industry. These materials will help manufacturers realize even more benefits from additive manufacturing in the future, including increased thermal resistance and durability.
Hybrid manufacturing machines are also gaining traction in the aerospace industry. These machines combine additive and subtractive manufacturing processes to leverage the strengths of each. With hybrid processes, aerospace manufacturers can still achieve complex geometries in their components, but they can also machine and finish parts — all with one piece of equipment. Hybrid manufacturing is just starting to get a foothold in the industry, but within the next decade or two this technology will be everywhere.
These new additive manufacturing technologies and materials are driving innovations throughout the aerospace industry. Since aerospace is often at the cutting edge of new technologies, these companies are some of the first to test new applications in additive manufacturing. As this technology performs successfully and meets the stringent requirements required by aerospace, additive manufacturing will only continue to grow with the future of this industry.
Transforming The Aerospace Industry Through Additive Manufacturing
Additive manufacturing has emerged as a game-changing technology for the aerospace industry. For aerospace manufacturers, this technology offers a level of flexibility and optimization capabilities that are unmatched by other advanced technologies. As additive manufacturing continues to evolve, its applications and capabilities will expand, driving further innovation and transformation in the sector.
Aerospace manufacturers must stay updated on the latest advancements in additive manufacturing. This is crucial to harnessing 3D printing's full potential, driving improved efficiency and productivity in aerospace operations. By embracing additive manufacturing innovations, manufacturers can contribute to the development of more sustainable, efficient, and advanced aerospace solutions.
If you're in the aerospace manufacturing industry — and are interested in keeping up with and learning more about additive manufacturing innovations — you should attend RAPID + TCT: North America’s largest additive manufacturing and industrial 3D printing event.