Proponent/Materialise/Stirling Dynamics
Materialise has signed a Letter of Intent (LOI) with aerospace distributor Proponent and aerospace design organisation Stirling Dynamics aimed at providing certified cabin solutions for aircraft.
By combining their respective expertise, the three companies believe they can support the aerospace aftermarket with the design, production, and distribution of certified 3D printed cabin parts. It strengthens an existing relationship between Materialise and Proponent that was formed in 2021.
A key part of this enhanced collaboration is Stirling Dynamics’ EASA 21.J certification, which outlines the requirements and procedures for the design, production and approval of parts, appliances and materials used in aviation. It complements Materialise’s 21.G POA – a regulatory framework that governs the production of aircraft components and systems – and Proponent’s status as the largest independent distributor. This, the three collaborators say, will serve to ‘further lower hurdles for OEMs and aircraft operators’ in the integration of such solutions.
Already, several cabin repair solutions have been successfully developed between Stirling Dynamics and Materialise, solving specific issues customers face in their cabins. Proponent can now leverage its OEM relationships to develop OEM-endorsed and certified solutions, making them available to operators worldwide that face similar issues.
Read more: Additive manufacturing in the aircraft cabin
“By combining our respective expertise, we are creating a powerful alliance with the skills needed to lower AM adoption barriers in the aeronautics industry,” commented Jurgen Laudus, Vice President of Materialise Manufacturing. “We present the opportunity to design, produce, and distribute certified 3D-printed solutions, supporting the aerospace aftermarket in leveraging the exceptional benefits of 3D printing.”
Erik Krol, Proponent Vice President Strategic Business Units, added: “With Stirling Dynamics joining our partnership, we can offer our OEM partners qualified solutions that can easily be incorporated into their aftermarket supply chain. Through this partnership, OEMs can deliver spare parts and repairs in an extremely cost-effective way, ultimately benefiting the airlines and MROs.”
“We are really excited to be partnering with Materialise and Proponent to collectively bring the aviation market a true end-to-end service for aircraft modification and repairs,” offered Bandula Pathinayake, VP of Stirling Dynamics. “As an EASA-approved Part 21.J Design Organization (EASA.21J.807), we are passionate about innovation, and we look forward to applying our extensive design capabilities to meet the unique challenges of aviation customers.”
