Satair Airbus
Airbus services company Satair has delivered certified, metal 3D printed wingtip fence components as spare parts for an A320ceo aircraft.
The company believes the components to be the first metal 3D printed spare parts to be certified and flown on the A320ceo aircraft. Satair believes this application of additive manufacturing could help to increase flexibility within part production and reduce the likelihood of having aircraft sat idle on the ground (AOG) when components fail.
In this instance, the A320ceo wingtip fences, which are installed in four different versions (starboard, port, upper and lower), were no longer in production and thus impossible to procure. A cast part could not be provided by the spare parts supplier, the cost of redesigning the part for it to be machined proved too costly, and so Satair decided to harness additive manufacturing technology for the job.
The wingtip fence parts were 3D printed in titanium at the Reference Manufacturing shop in Airbus Filton, which is capable of producing airworthy parts regularly since having its processes qualified last year. Four parts, a full set for one aircraft, were printed within the same 26-hour-long build job and were supplied with an EASA Form 1 certification approval. Additively manufacturing the parts helped to reduce non-recurring costs by 45% compared to conventional methods of production.
Read more:
- Additive manufacturing in the aircraft cabin
- There's "huge potential" for 3D printing inside aircraft cabins
- Satair teams with Fast Radius and HP to 3D print aircraft maintenance tooling components
“We received an order for replacement parts and our AOG procurement department turned to the additive manufacturing team for a solution,” commented Felix Hammerschmidt, HO Additive Manufacturing Satair. “After a short pre-assessment, the part was handed over to the RapidSpares design office at Airbus. Using a new certification process, they were able to re-certify the former cast part within five weeks and adapt it to titanium, which is a qualified airworthy additive manufacturing material.”
“Satair is leading the way in providing additive manufactured parts for the aviation aftermarket and we currently have more than 300-part numbers certified for the technology covering every Airbus aircraft family type including tools and Ground Support Equipment,” added Bart Reijnen, CEO of Satair. “With more than 7,000 A320ceo Family aircraft in service worldwide, the demand for this specific additive manufactured part is likely to increase and with this additive manufacturing supply chain now in place, we will be able to produce these parts within a shorter lead time. Four more customers have already requested that same part following this successful delivery.”
Satiar has also said it has identified more titanium parts which could be additive manufactured in a more economical way of production, with higher flexibility and shorter lead times.
Want to discuss? Join the conversation on the Additive Manufacturing Global Community Discord.
Get your FREE print subscription to TCT Magazine.
