3D PRINTING IN THE AEROSPACE INDUSTRY

INTRODUCTION

3D printing has transformed the way automobiles are manufactured, has impacted our healthcare system from the ground up, has evolved the way we design and build structures, and has even affected production of foods. Nevertheless, one industry adapted 3D printing to its manufacturing process before all these. In records it is stated that the utilization of 3D production in Aerospace goes back as early as 1989, which comes as no surprise since Aerospace and Defense have always been on the cutting edge of technology. The Aerospace sector was an early user of 3D printing and remained to make significant contributions to its growth. 3D printing started off to speed up prototyping. Traditional manufacturing lead times are dramatically reduced by the technology, which allows a prototype to be built in hours rather than weeks and at a fraction of the cost which is exactly the requirements in the Aerospace sector.

QUICK GLANCE TO ADVANTAGES

First of all, thanks to the dramatic reduction in assembly time, 3D printing has simplified the design process and decreased resource waste, which was previously a concern of the traditional manufacturing processes. Even complicated pieces, which would have been practically difficult to create before, may now be designed efficiently using 3D. Secondly, various components require different tooling settings in typical manufacturing methods, which adds to the cost and time it takes to produce aircraft parts. 3D printing allows Aerospace manufacturers to adopt what is essentially tool-less production. This means companies may create customized parts or upgrades on demand without having large quantities of components on hand. Lastly, the design flexibility provided by the 3D printing technique also enables the fusion of several pieces into a single element. This also results in weight savings and a decrease in the total inventory held at any one moment.

USE-CASES

Hundreds of fittings, guides, templates, and gauges are 3D printed for each particular aircraft, resulting in expense and production time savings of 60 to 90 percent when opposed to older production methods. In addition, 3D printing may also be utilized to make substantial, low-volume metal brackets that affix sophisticated life-saving equipment to an aircraft’s inner surface.

CONCLUSION

It is clear that 3D printing technology can respond even in low-cost, difficult-to-find systems with a unique and secret design in various industries. With that said, we can see that the aerospace sector is very interested in 3D production. It affects every aspect of the business, from the prototyping of critical components to the total manufacture of fully functional parts. 3D production also aids in making production more efficient and dependable while decreasing costs.