Not only spare parts, it’s time to play with the big boys:
If I remember well it’s not a first but now size become impressive.
Ye future is nigh?
Now I know what goes on in the big building next to my daughter’s dorm. I hate the term “3-D printer.” It’s not a printer, it’s more like giant play-doh fun factory.
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As I remembered, credit to:
Thanks for this interesting information!
Printing tech IS quietly moving on, costs also improves - for small obj. almost -
Actually a big gap lies in metallic materials: output consists in a fine mesh or grid.
Not useful for stress prone parts.
More news:
yes I think thats been solved with laser fused titanium powder printers.
Got any detail?
google it there is lots out there.
GE have a competition every year where they pick an aircraft part and a group of designers try to design it so it weighs less and they strength test them when they make them.
Huge cash prize for the winner.
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I followed one year where they had a top side engine mount of an aero engine, its a forging so solid, curved so goes from like 9 to 11 on an engine and one lug at right angle onto the wing mount.
The last 4 designs were hollow structures using every conceivable matrix you can imagine which only additive printing can do so designers have free range.
What was intersting is seeing the internal matrix that you have never seen before.
In nature there are plenty but these guys invented new ones.
Winner was just lightest that had the strength, I think won $100k
GE explained that 1 pound saved was worth big money to one aircraft so to a fleet its huge money, worldwide even more.
For the $100k GE own your design…
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Thanks, my info were “dated” as you can say in this quick evolving tech.
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Having spent years in aerospace machining (iso 9001) the printing advantages in modern design come about because of ‘traditional’ maching limitations, even then, very few 3d parts pass qc (quality control) without some ‘hands on’ tweaking. .002 an into the tenths now seems common where only a few years ago .005 was standard. reaching certain locations, drilling/tapping/countersinking at odd angles or just impossible to reach locations will drive innovation and 3d will have to improve to get there.