Boeing’s first 3D printed aluminum gearbox housing was installed and helped Chinook helicopters complete flight tests

Guide: August 9, 2021aviationaerospaceThe manufacturer Boeing has made new progress in the field of defense. For the first time, they are on a CH-47 Chinook helicopter (Chinook, a multifunctional, twin-engine, double-propeller, medium-sized transport helicopter manufactured by Boeing in the United States). one3D printingFlight test of key flight components of the company.As part of the demonstration of the T408 engine, in this test we can see that Chinook is equipped with Boeing3D printingThe aluminum gearbox housing for flight.According to reports, this is the first case of a rotorcraft flying with such a component, and it is also for Chinook’s other3D printingThe development of technology paved the way.

Todd Harder, Boeing’s chief drive system engineer, said: “As far as we know, this is the first time that additive manufacturing technology has been used on such a critical flying component. We have done a lot of work at Boeing in the past few years. On the basis of this, a reproducible manufacturing process is realized, which meets all the quality requirements for flying parts. As far as flexibility is concerned, it just opens up a world full of new possibilities for what we can do.”

△Boeing CH-47 “Chinook”.Picture from the British Ministry of Defence

CH-47 Chinook Helicopter

The first flight of the Boeing CH-4 Chinook dates back to the early 1960s. It is a heavy-duty helicopter with twin engines and tandem rotors.To this day, this gyroplane is still one of the heaviest lifting helicopters in the West, and is often used for air assault missions, troop and ammunition delivery, and
food
And water transportation. Chinook’s average manufacturing cost reached a jaw-dropping 35 million U.S. dollars, and its maximum flight speed was 302 km/h.
As a manufacturer, Boeing’s continued
invest
Feel proud. In particular, the demonstration of the new T408 engine aims to show that a new set of “Chinook” engines will be put into use again, and its horsepower is 50% more than the current equipment.More importantly, the key to the success of this flight test is3D printingThe aluminum gearbox housing is proven to be able to withstand the high pressures of rotorcraft flying.

Harder added: “The Chinook helicopter is still a platform full of new challenges. We are studying new manufacturing technologies and other fields to enable us to enter the next 50 years of flight and show that we are moving in this direction. There are many cutting-edge technologies in the manufacturing field of Chinook, which are quite valuable for our future customer business development.”

△3D printingAluminum gearbox housing.Picture from Boeing

Delivery time, cost and part performance

So, why should the key components of the helicopter be selected in the first place?3D printingWoolen cloth? In fact, heavy industry organizations such as the defense department are often notorious for their long delivery times, which may make the procurement of spare parts a difficult point for the military, especially when the parts in active service are out of date. Become more prominent.By internal use3D printingTechnology for terminal production, Boeing can avoid the long delivery time of traditional manufacturing, while ensuring that the cost of the gearbox housing is minimized.

The degree of design freedom afforded by additive manufacturing is also worth mentioning, because reducing the weight of unnecessary parts is essential for heavy vehicles like Chinook. By optimizing the additively manufactured gearbox housing, Boeing engineers can produce higher-performance parts that are more suitable for use.

Melissa Orme, Vice President of Additive Manufacturing at Boeing, explained: “AM allows creativity in design that cannot be achieved by traditional methods and is used to optimize the design of better aerospace products. We are constantly looking for opportunities in these opportunities. , We can use additive manufacturing technology to improve product performance by streamlining the vehicle, reducing its weight, and providing more durability.”

△Boeing’s recent T408 engine demonstration.Picture from Boeing

In the past year alone, there have been several3D printingMilestones for flying parts.The aerospace company Honeywell Aerospace won the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) for its first3D printingCertification of key flight engine components. The parts of “4/5 bearing seat” areDassaultA key structural component of the ATF3-6 turbofan engine on the Falcon 20G maritime patrol aircraft.

Elsewhere, students at Dade County Middle School in Trenton, Georgia, recently used their school’s
FDM
3D printingThe aircraft produces flightable parts for the International Space Station. These parts are printed on an industrial-grade Stratasys Fortus 450mc, using high-performance ULTEM filaments. This material is characterized by high strength, flame resistance, and good dielectric stability.

(Editor in charge: admin)

Boeing’s first 3D printed aluminum gearbox housing was installed and helped Chinook helicopters complete flight tests

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