Aerospace companies looking to 3D can expect flat reception from regulators
Aerospace manufacturers see considerable promise in using 3D technology to print structural parts. As I reported back in early 2016, GE ran a contest in which a winning team with no aviation experience submitted a winning design for a jet-engine bracket that GE additively manufactured and load-tested. And earlier this month, Nano Dimension announced that it has received a budget from the Israel Innovation Authority that will be used to finance a project to develop 3D ceramic materials that can be used with inkjet technology. The goal is the printing of low-density and high-thickness objects for space applications.
But at least when it comes to 3D-printed structures for commercial aviation in the United States, manufacturers can expect headwinds from safety regulators, according to Andy Pasztor at The Wall Street Journal. Reporting from Le Bourget, he writes, “Three-dimensional printing is a darling of the aerospace industry because it is relatively inexpensive compared with more-prevalent ways of making components. A series of announcements at the Paris Air Show expected in coming days illustrates the immense promise of airliner parts manufactured by 3-D printers—as well as the formidable regulatory challenges confronting their widespread acceptance.”
At the show, Norsk Titanium AS is announcing a partnership with Spirit AeroSystems Holdings Inc., a major subcontractor for Boeing and others, Pasztor writes. “Spirit sees the potential of eventually using Norsk’s technology to produce thousands of different parts at 30% lower cost than traditional milling methods,” he adds.
Pasztor explains that Norsk uses an approach based on titanium wire instead of powder as the raw material, which Norsk says can turn out larger parts faster.
But FAA officials are moving cautiously. Pasztor writes, “In an interview, veteran aerospace executive Warren Boley, president and chief executive of Norsk, agreed that regulators were taking their time and suggested it was likely some of the central questions about the process wouldn’t be resolved until 2018.”
He adds that Norsk and GE are thought to be the only companies who have received FAA approval for any 3D-printed parts for commercial aircraft.
