As one of the first industries to embrace additive manufacturing, aerospace has successfully woven the technology into its production operations. Additive manufacturing technologies are becoming more widely available and affordable for aerospace manufacturers of all sizes. The prevalence of 3D printers has led to significant changes in the aerospace manufacturing and design process, which has affected production of aerospace products at all different levels. Learn about how additive manufacturing technologies are transforming the aerospace industry.
Aerospace Component Design
Aerospace parts are complex, and they are held to strict quality standards in order to meet safety regulations. Made up of intricate geometric structures, these components form small parts that must fit together with other small parts. Using traditional manufacturing methods, these parts would be produced separately and then combined.
With additive manufacturing technologies, an aerospace design engineer can digitally create a 3D model of the whole structure, including all the small interior components. Once this design is created, the engineer can print the entire aerospace component on a 3D printer and have a complete part that doesn’t require additional assembly. This process decreases production lead time for intricate parts, which makes the production process more efficient.
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