Additive Manufacturing and Its Impact in Parts Qualification

Conference Abstract: Parts qualification is a crucial aspect of ensuring safety operation in the aerospace industry. With the continued maturation of additive manufacturing and the ability to successfully replicate parts, it is now possible to understand how best to extend existing qualification processes and criteria into this exciting realm of materials and process. We will examine the current parts qualification process, the state of the art in additive manufacturing from materials through production, and then combine the two to understand the impacts. These impacts span the AM process and influence qualification and eventual certification in both the commercial and military markets. This discussion is designed to be relevant to parts designers, material producers, manufacturing and production, quality engineers, and procurement by also reviewing this topic in the context of the complete product lifecycle.