Stratasys
Stratasys Marshall Aerospace
Final, flight-approved, 3D printed ducting for air conditioners printed by Marshall Aerospace and Defence on the Fortus 450mc.
Marshall Aerospace and Defence Group is using 3D printing to produce flight-ready parts and ground-running equipment for a number of its military, civil, and business aircraft.
Having acquired a Fortus 450mc through Stratasys reseller, SYS Systems, Marshall has implemented several pieces of 3D printed ducting for air conditioners, holders for safety knives, and interior switches in its aircraft. The company is also using the FDM machine to replace costly aluminium ground-running equipment with polymer alternatives and print complex tooling applications.
On the ground, a ducting adapter, which works to provide fresh air to cool the avionics of an aircraft, has been printed in Nylon 12 material rather than machined in aluminium. Marshall reported a significant cost saving and a total reduction in weight of 63%. Meanwhile, 3D printed drill jigs, masking templates, bonded fixtures, and composite mould tooling have all been put in the hands of engineers within 24 hours of their request. As with the ground-running equipment, Marshall is replacing metal with plastic, 3D printing with traditional manufacturing methods, and enjoying the weight, cost, and time benefits.
The incorporation of 3D printing has helped the company move the technology from prototyping, through tooling, to the production of parts used in cabin and to support the aircraft when it’s on the ground.
Stratasys
3D Printed forming tool in Stratasys Nylon 12 Marshall Aerospace.
3D Printed forming tool in Stratasys Nylon 12.
“When manufacturing on complex engineering programmes, we need a method that can create an accurate, complex, functional, and lightweight duct efficiently with minimal tooling costs – this is where 3D printing fits perfectly. But we also need to ensure that the ducting work produced will be approved by the EASA for flight,” commented Chris Botting, Materials, Process, and Additive Manufacturing Engineer at Marshall ADG. “As a result, we’re using the Stratasys Fortus 450mc FDM printer and ULTEM 9085 resin, a tough, lightweight 3D printing material with high thermal and chemical resistance. This has been crucial to overcoming the stringent requirements of our industry, as we can now 3D print parts with the desired flame, smoke and toxicity properties for use of aircraft interiors.
“FDM has altered the way we work, and the aerospace-grade 3D printers and materials enable us to meet our increasingly aggressive deadlines and complex manufacturing requirements. In the future, there is no doubt that 3D printing will continue to have a significant impact in the way we design and manufacture in our business.”
Stratasys will be showcasing Marshall Aerospace applications at the upcoming Paris Air Show, June 17 – 23, 2019.
