3D printing making great impressions
- 3D printing in the aerospace and defense market is anticipated to register a CAGR of 25.9% to reach a market value of USD 6060.8 million by 2026.
- By material, the special metals segment is expected to register the highest CAGR of 26.8% during the forecast period.
- By geography, the Asia-Pacific region is expected to register the highest CAGR of 31.1% during the forecast period.
What could be the major scope of 3D printing applications within the aviation industry?
- Preproduction and Customization
- Jigs and Fixtures
- Mounting Brakes
- Prototyping
Core drivers that are leading the additive manufacturing (3D Printing) vertical
- Growing adoption of 3D printed parts in aerospace supply chains
- Reduction of processing and manufacturing cost
Fascinating insights of 3D printing
- In the space sector, since 3D-printed geometries like lattice structures and topology optimized structures can be used for weight reduction, there is reduced environmental impact and improved ROI
- The 3D-printed fuel nozzle tip for GE Aviation’s LEAP engine consolidates 20 different parts into one single structure. The company’s new turboprop engine combined 855 parts into 10 3D-printed components.
- In March 2021, Safran group used SLM solutions machine to print a titanium nose gear casing. The part was designed in a single run, which generally manufactured in its separate parts. It also resulted in 15% gross weight reduction due to additive manufacturing.
Compelling updates on additive manufacturing corner
- As of September 2021, Turkish Airlines had 172 aircraft on order, including A321neo, A350-900, Boeing 737MAX, and Boeing 787-9 aircraft. All these aircraft models use 3D printed parts.
- The MORPHO consortium is scheduled to remain operational until September 2024. During the tenure, the consortium would set future standards for reliable, sustainable, agile, and cost-effective industrialization of new intelligent and multifunctional parts, such as 3D printed optical fiber sensors embedded on composite fan blades and their associated manufacturing, maintenance, and recycling processes.
- As of June 2021, MT Aerospace, a part of OHB Group, aims to qualify 3D processes and large-volume components by defining technical standards for additive manufacturing processes in space travel on behalf of the European Space Agency (ESA).
- In February 2021, Indian aerospace startup Agnikul Cosmos became the first company in the world to test a single piece, fully 3D printed rocket engine. The company is developing the country’s first private small satellite launch vehicle, Agnibaan, and has successfully fired its higher-stage semi-cryogenic engine, named Agnilet.
Striking market opportunities in the aviation sector
- The industry is witnessing an increased adoption of metal-based 3D printing technology. Titanium is the strongest metal available for 3D printing currently. Hence, the popularization of titanium as the raw material may create opportunities for directly manufacturing larger and more intricate aerospace parts with the help of 3D printing.
- The introduction of advanced technology 3D printers is expected to lead to advancements in terms of capabilities in the aerospace and defense industry in the coming years. Modern 3D printers are becoming competitive enough to engineer highly complex parts in one piece, which is beyond the capability of the sophisticated milling machines available today.
