Aerospace & Defense
Additive manufacturing in aeronautics is causing a genuine revolution, transforming traditional processes of design and production. Thanks to 3D printing, it is now possible to design lighter and more innovative parts in a minimum of time and at lower design cost. The result is faster production times and cost optimization. Thanks to 3d printed parts, the aeronautics industry is able to constantly optimize aircraft production in terms of weight and fuel consumption.
The large aeronautics operators cause the 3D market to soar!
All the international groups in the aeronautics sector are investing in 3D printing, incorporating the technology within their industrialization processes in order to maximize its benefits. For example, 20 sites are already equipped with 3D printers at the Boeing group and 1,000 parts are already being produced using 3D printers at Airbus. The Safran group has invested 68 million euros establishing a 10,000 m2 campus dedicated to 3D, scheduled to come on stream in 2021. The prowess of this new 3D technology is giving wings to all aeronautics groups: Segula Technologies, Bombardier, General Electric and Dassault have already been exploiting additive manufacturing for a number of years now!
The most common 3D applications in the aeronautics sector
- Engine parts (turbine casings, turbines, auxiliary power units, fuel injectors, swirl combustion chambers)
- Cabin parts (aircraft seats)
- Various tools
Although Toulouse assembles the largest number of Airbus aircrafts in France, there are several other plants where Airbus parts are manufactured. Such is the case at Saint-Nazaire, where almost 5,900 skilled workers are at the heart of the production and innovation process. To protect the A350’s Section 21 aircraft parts at it’s Nantes site, i.e., the components located in the section connecting the fuselage wings, Airbus needed a flexible material capable of adapting to the shapes of small, complex and specific parts. The concept of protection is twofold, guaranteeing both the protection of construction elements and the safety of operators when parts are handled. Faced with this problem, the Airbus teams opted for additive manufacturing and a direct-drive printer to obtain a flexible rendering that would allow a slight rebound.
KIMYA’s Response
Faced with this triple challenge from Airbus – flexibility, protection and safety – the solution was to offer a flexible material that protects from electrostatic discharges. Kimya’s TPC-ESD filament, made from the copolymerization of two types of monomers (an ester and an ether), ofers excellent flexibility. In fact, this filament has an elongation at break of 400%, making it a particlarly tough, flexible 3D material. It has a wide range of applications, and is often used by the automotive and aerospace industries. In addition, the TPC-ESD filament’s electrostatic dissipation properties were the best response to Airbus’ protection and safety requirements, helping to avoid damage to electronic components and reduce the risk of explosions in hazardous environments (ATEX).
For example, plugs were produced using a Volumic Ultra Stream 3D printer. These tools are installed in aircrafts to protect pipes. The planes are then airlifted to Toulouse, where the plugs are then removed. The printed parts must be able to withstand the following transport conditions:
- Pressure min. : 23,160 Pa at 35,200 ft
- Pressure max. : 108,870 Pa at 2,000 ft
- Temp. min.: -55°C
- Temp. max. : +55°C
