Additive manufacturing has captured industry’s imagination, but even as the first parts appear inside jet engines, the technology’s possibilities are only just being realized. As researchers experiment with new materials and optimized designs made possible by 3-D printing, the potential scale of the revolution in manufacturing is becoming clearer.
EADS Innovation Works and EOS, a leader in direct metal laser-sintering, have shown that replacing a cast-steel nacelle hinge bracket on an Airbus A320 with an additively manufactured titanium part, optimized to place metal where there are loads, cuts raw-material consumption 75%, saves 10 kg per shipset and reduces energy and emissions in production, operation and end-of-life recycling.
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