The Impact of 3D Printing and AM on Aerospace Composites

Those of us in the composites industry have witnessed a ton of innovations and advancements in aerospace composites over the years. We’ve seen better products, enhanced designs, and stronger components. Much of what we’ve seen can be traced back to manufacturing processes like 3D printing and additive manufacturing (AM).

Bringing 3D printing and AM to aerospace design has literally revolutionized how manufacturers produce aerospace composites and finished parts. The two manufacturing processes have facilitated the creation of newer, lighter, and better performing parts with some of the most complex geometries the industry has ever seen. Thanks to 3D printing and AM, we can now do things with aerospace composites that were never before possible.

What 3D Printing and AM Can Do

It might be easier to understand the impact 3D printing and AM have had on aerospace composites if we look at some practical examples. Let’s start with structural components.

AM makes it possible to produce intricate structural parts that are more difficult to manufacture with traditional technologies. Examples include turbine blades, control surface actuators, and fuel nozzles.

Manufacturers can also produce engine parts with AM, parts capable of withstanding excess temperatures and the punishing characteristics of combustion. How so? By allowing for the use of revolutionary materials like titanium.

Here are a few more examples:

• Composite Tooling – Utilizing AM, manufacturers can produce customized composite tooling that significantly reduces lead time and costs in the manufacturing process.
• High-Temp Applications – 3D printing allows for producing thermoset composites that can withstand temperatures in excess of 300°C. Such composites are ideal for manufacturing jet engine components.

It is not a coincidence that aerospace composites have taken a big step forward with the introduction of 3D printing and AM in composite manufacturing. With that in mind, let’s take a brief look at some of the benefits of incorporating the two processes in an aerospace environment.

4 Key Benefits

A single post could not do justice to all the benefits that come with incorporating 3D printing and AM in aerospace manufacturing. But here are four of the biggest benefits that manufacturers realize:

• Design Freedom – Both 3D printing and AM lend themselves very well to flexible and innovative design. Engineers can create parts with complex geometries without sacrificing precision or increasing waste.
• Weight Reduction – Reducing weight is one of the primary reasons for working with aerospace composites. 3D printing and AM allow for even greater weight reduction due to design flexibility.
• Rapid Prototyping – Both AM and 3D printing are ideal for rapid prototyping. Because prototypes can be manufactured more quickly, the entire design and testing process moves along at a faster pace.
• Efficiency – Embracing AM and 3D printing makes a manufacturer more efficient in both time and cost. Less money is spent to produce components at a faster rate. All the while, precision and integrity are not compromised.

Note that the two processes may not necessarily be compatible with large scale manufacturing. 3D printing definitely lacks scalability at this time. As for AM, it may have to be modified to accommodate scalability – or it may not be appropriate at all, depending on the project.

A Bright Future for Aerospace Composites

The introduction of 3D printing and AM has changed the way the industry looks at aerospace composites. They have encouraged us to think in new ways, develop new processes, and design better components and parts. Those of us in the composites industry don’t intend to slow down.

It all points to a bright future for aerospace composites. Likewise, that means a bright future for both space exploration and traditional air travel.