More than 2000 test samples! EOS, Baltic3d and ETIHAD Engineering Co. to develop 3D printed aircraft interior parts

Guide: August 22, 20213D printingmachinemanufacturerEOSAnd industry3D printingService provider Baltic3D has partnered with Etihad Engineering, a commercial aircraft maintenance, repair and overhaul (MRO) service provider, to explore a series of aircraft interior parts3D printing.This research and development program is called “FDMAnd SLS Industry3D printing“The applicability of technology in the manufacturing of aircraft interior parts”, Baltic3D will use EOS’ laser sintering technology to print thousands of material samples, which will be tested in Etihad Engineering’s flammability laboratory in Abu Dhabi .Once it proves to be in complianceaviationstandard, Will design and print several prototypes for the internal parts of the aircraft.

Janis Jātnieks, co-founder of Baltic3D, said: “For some time, the entire aviation supply chain has been severely impacted by the Covid-19 epidemic, from part design to final part manufacturing and certification. Our goal is to greatly reduce the impact of this research and development project. Design agencies and original equipment manufacturers mustinvestTime and money to increase additive manufacturing as an additional manufacturing route to existing production, and even completely shift to the production of complex parts using AM.Our plan is to build a comprehensive test and manufacturing data set, which will help aviationaerospaceEngineers develop part designs for AM with a high degree of confidence. “

△ PA 2241FR material samples produced in Baltic3D are ready to be shipped for flammability testing. Photo courtesy of Baltic3D

Aviation industry3D printing

In fact, additive manufacturing has been widely used in the aerospace industry. 3D printingTerminal component applications have also begun to become more and more common on commercial aircraft.For example, the aviation manufacturer Boeing completed the first flight of its 777X jet in January 2020. This jet is equipped with GE Aviation’s GE9X engine, which contains 3003D printingpart. Since then, Boeing has obtained the qualification to use OEM Stratasys’ Antero 800NA thermoplastic filament to manufacture terminal components on its aircraft.

Earlier this year, Airbus, an aerospace company in the same industry, and an additive manufacturing service providermaterialiseCooperate to produce flightable parts for its aircraft. Materialise will begin production of parts printed with EOS’ flame-retardant polyamide powder PA 2241 FR, marking Airbus’s first entry into SLS 3D printingfield.

Elsewhere, composite material company Hexcel has launched its own conductive polymer-based carbon fiber composite material specifically for aircraft3D printing, Air distribution system manufacturer Senior Aerospace BWT has installed two Stratasys Fortus 450mc 3D printingMachine, for its customers’ internal3D printingAircraft parts.
Recently, industry3D printingAircraft manufacturer Essentium and Wichita State University’s National Institute of Aeronautics (NIAR) have accelerated3D printingThe development of the aerospace industry in the United States.

△GE Aviation has been used3D printingTechnology produces aircraft parts, including Boeing’s 777x jet engine (pictured).Picture from Boeing

For continuous additive manufacturing of aerospace parts

Since it has proved its technology and material application qualifications in the aerospace field, EOS’s SLS
3D printingThe technology was selected by Baltic3D for the R&D project with Etihad Engineering. During the project, Baltic3D will use EOS P 396 machine to print more than 2000 material samples, and then test them in the flammability laboratory of Etihad Engineering Company.

In the flammability testing phase, FST and heat release testing will be involved. Etihad will provide engineering analysis and reports for the production of Baltic3D3D printingProvide feedback on design and prototype. Material samples will be tested in accordance with aviation standards, and once these requirements have been met, several prototypes of the internal part design of the aircraft will be created.

Markus Glasser, Senior Vice President of EOS Europe, Middle East, and Africa said: “EOS is constantly striving to become the most trusted partner, with mature and reliable technology, and constantly meeting the requirements of the aerospace industry. In the past few years, we have successfully It fully proves our technology, which means that qualified materials, processes and systems are fully applicable to the aerospace field. Aerospace requires reliable data, which is the main purpose of this project. Therefore, we firmly believe that this project will greatly accelerate the development of AM in the field. Aerospace applications.”

According to Glasser, EOS and Baltic3D share a common vision to provide their aerospace customers with high-quality products by achieving technological innovation and reducing the cost of complex components. The goal of Baltic3D is to increase3D printingThe acquisition of technology and test results to speed up aviation companies’3D printingAdoption.

All in all, the primary goal of the R&D project is to bring the production of aircraft interior parts closer to true continuous additive manufacturing.Moreover, as implemented in aviation applications3D printingThe industry leader in technology, Etihad also joined this vision.

Ahmad Rajei, Acting Vice President of the Design, Engineering and Innovation Department of Etihad Engineering, said: “As the first company in the Middle East to obtain EASA approval for design, production and certification3D printingFor the MRO airline of cabin parts, we are very happy to support Baltic3D and EOS. The launch of this research and development program is in line with Etihad Engineering’s position as a global leader in aircraft engineering and a pioneer in innovation and technology. “

△Etihad Engineering Company’s facilities.Photo courtesy of Etihad Engineering Company

Since 2017 showed the first in the region3D printingSince the internal parts of the aircraft, Etihad has continued to strengthen3D printingAspects of work.In recent years, the company has3D printingMachine manufacturer BigRep has established a partnership with
Siemens
Cooperated with Strata Manufacturing, a manufacturer of aerospace structures.
Etihad Engineering and EOS have also collaborated on aerospace projects before, and the two companies formed an agreement in 2018 to use polymer additive manufacturing technology to produce Etihad’s aircraft.3D printingCabin interior.
The following year, Etihad, in cooperation with EOS and BigRep, opened its additive manufacturing facility in Abu Dhabi.According to reports, the center is the first in the region to be approved by the European Aviation Safety Agency for design and production.3D printingThe laboratory aims to produce aircraft parts using powder bed fusion (PBF) technology.

(Editor in charge: admin)

More than 2000 test samples! EOS, Baltic3d and ETIHAD Engineering Co. to develop 3D printed aircraft interior parts

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