Bennett Posted June 17, 2013 Report Posted June 17, 2013 Will this technique help lower the cost of aircraft parts, and airframes? Printed Airplane Parts (from AvWeb) China's AVIC Heavy Machinery has produced what it claims to be the world's largest titanium aircraft part critical to an aircraft's structure printed from a 3D printer -- and with massive cost savings. The part, displayed at the 16th China International High-tech Expo, fits a J-20 or J-31 stealth fighter. According to the company, the titanium alloy structural part costs $212,000 to produce through 3D laser direct manufacturing, versus $1.3 million through traditional methods. China's C919 passenger jet, which is expected to enter service in 2016, will incorporate a five meter-long titanium printed wing spar. The company also made bold claims about the potential benefits of printed parts in U.S. military aircraft. The company also postulated that if titanium parts in American F-22 Raptors were built with printed (instead of forged) parts, they could see a weight savings of roughly 40 percent. It says that compared with conventional techniques, savings could reach 90 percent of materials and costs. Parts produced through the 3D printing process allow for more efficient component design optimized for both strength and weight savings, the company says. The process is not without its critics regarding the application of printed parts as structural components. Historically, forging is considered to produce a stronger part. AVIC's 3D printing technology can produce parts using titanium alloy and high-strength steel. It has been used to create parts in at least seven aircraft designs and those parts have served in load-bearing capacities. In the U.S., GE has started to develop manufacturing processes for jet engine fuel nozzles. The parts are expected to be 25 percent lighter and five times stronger than traditional parts. The nozzles are expected to appear in GE LEAP jet engines, which hold 19 nozzles each. 1 Quote
1964-M20E Posted June 18, 2013 Report Posted June 18, 2013 Cool print me a new Mooney for 1/5th the retail price Quote
aviatoreb Posted June 18, 2013 Report Posted June 18, 2013 Cool - I figured a day like this would come - ever since I saw a documentary about how they are printing working organs like heart valves out of living tissue materials. An airplane part is simplistic in comparison! Certification nuisance aside - I can imagine a day when any of the many many small parts that keep an airplane flying would be printed on demand from a library. FOr that matter - same with your car, airconditioner, regrigerator, television, computer, heart valves - or whatever you want. No more inventory of stuff - just a place with raw materials and printers. What will Walmart do?! Just print yourself a barbi doll, or a tupperware, a wheelbarrel or whatever you want. Ti is a wonderful material - lightweight, strong, and never corrodes. I want an all Ti Mooney. Quote
M016576 Posted June 18, 2013 Report Posted June 18, 2013 Cool - I figured a day like this would come - ever since I saw a documentary about how they are printing working organs like heart valves out of living tissue materials. An airplane part is simplistic in comparison! Certification nuisance aside - I can imagine a day when any of the many many small parts that keep an airplane flying would be printed on demand from a library. FOr that matter - same with your car, airconditioner, regrigerator, television, computer, heart valves - or whatever you want. No more inventory of stuff - just a place with raw materials and printers. What will Walmart do?! Just print yourself a barbi doll, or a tupperware, a wheelbarrel or whatever you want. Ti is a wonderful material - lightweight, strong, and never corrodes. I want an all Ti Mooney. Now if only I could figure out how to map to that stupid printer.... ;-) Quote
aviatoreb Posted June 18, 2013 Report Posted June 18, 2013 Now if only I could figure out how to map to that stupid printer.... ;-) Doh! Quote
DonMuncy Posted June 18, 2013 Report Posted June 18, 2013 Maybe this technology is just way too complicated for me to understand. I can understand how a printer can lay down successive thin layers to build a part. It would seem easy if the layers are ink, or even some plastic material. But unless the printer is loaded with molten titanium, I really do not understand how it can build a titanium part. Anyone who can explain it in simple terms for me. Quote
aviatoreb Posted June 18, 2013 Report Posted June 18, 2013 Maybe this technology is just way too complicated for me to understand. I can understand how a printer can lay down successive thin layers to build a part. It would seem easy if the layers are ink, or even some plastic material. But unless the printer is loaded with molten titanium, I really do not understand how it can build a titanium part. Anyone who can explain it in simple terms for me. " selective laser sintering (SLS), with both metals and polymers (e.g. PA, PA-GF, Rigid GF, PEEK, PS, Alumide, Carbonmide, elastomers), and direct metal laser sintering (DMLS)." from http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/3D_printing Quote
DonMuncy Posted June 18, 2013 Report Posted June 18, 2013 " selective laser sintering (SLS), with both metals and polymers (e.g. PA, PA-GF, Rigid GF, PEEK, PS, Alumide, Carbonmide, elastomers), and direct metal laser sintering (DMLS)." from http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/3D_printing Thanks. It makes sense now; barely. Quote
aviatoreb Posted June 18, 2013 Report Posted June 18, 2013 Thanks. It makes sense now; barely. I'm no expert in this either - but laser sintering with a strong hot laser seems to be the main thing to do the bonding step. Quote
carusoam Posted June 18, 2013 Report Posted June 18, 2013 Sintering is a technical process to make precision parts that look real, made from similar alloys, but may not perform the way the older processes do. Sintering is typically/traditionally powdered metals mixed up, pressed into a mold and then baked in an oven allowing the metal atoms to evaporate/condense at the molecular level to stick together with a fair amount of airspace in between particles. Quick, precise and low cost are the high points of the sintering process. Strength is not usually one of the high points... In precision plane parts they talk about grain structures in the metals. Helpful to have an X-ray microscope for that detail. With traditional sintering, your naked eye can see the difference At least that is what I would be looking for when they are printing my next Mooney... Hank, we're going to need a desk top extruder! Best regards, -a- Quote
Seth Posted June 18, 2013 Report Posted June 18, 2013 An early version of the Star Trek Replicator? Earl Tea, hot . . . Quote
aviatoreb Posted June 18, 2013 Report Posted June 18, 2013 An early version of the Star Trek Replicator? Earl Tea, hot . . . Tea, Early Grey, Hot. 1 Quote
FloridaMan Posted June 18, 2013 Report Posted June 18, 2013 I have a Makerbot Replicator on my desk for printing ABS parts in 3D. It works well enough and has the precision to print #6-32 threads both horizontally and vertically, male and female. Quote
Bennett Posted June 18, 2013 Author Report Posted June 18, 2013 Might be able to close up the spaces by using "Buckyballs", and gain great strength in the process. The more you think about the possibilities of "printing", the more ideas pop to mind. The less sophisticated (toy like) 3D printers are available at less than a $1,000, but even they stretch the imagination. Until I read the AvWeb article I had no idea how far the idea had progressed. I want a replicator, and not just for Earl Grey tea, (although the video clips made me break out laughing - Thanks Aviatoreb) Quote
inktomi Posted June 22, 2013 Report Posted June 22, 2013 You can order things printed in metals from Shapeways.com - I wonder just how far you could really go 3d printing parts.. Quote
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