Metal Powder Report  Volume 70, Number 6  November/December 2015 metal-powder.

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AM and aerospace: an ideal combination

Liz Nickels

Many experts agree that 3D printed metals parts could spell a revolution in aerospace manufacture. Liz
Nickels spoke to key companies in the field who are working to improve powder metal materials and
additive manufacturing technology to find out how exactly 3D printing could change the future of
aerospace.

Concept Laser is one of the leading manufacturers of industrial
laser machines for making components from metal powder, using
the company’s proprietry LaserCUSING layer construction meth-
od. The fusion process can generate components layer-by-layer
using 3D CAD data with the segments of each individual layer – so-
called ‘islands’ – worked through in succession. The patented
process ensures a significant reduction in stresses within the
component, which allows solid and large-volume components
to be generated with low warping.
The LaserCUSING layer construction process can make both
mould inserts with close-contour cooling, and direct components
for the jewellery, medical, dental, automotive and aerospace sec-
tors. This applies to both prototypes and batch parts.
Aerospace is a big deal for Concept Laser. A recent important
development was the additive manufacture of a bracket connector
for the Airbus A350 XWB. The component, previously a milled
part made of aluminum, is now a printed part made of titanium.
The design was named as a finalist at the 2014 German Industry
Innovation Awards.
The bracket represents a weight reduction of greater than 30%.
According to the company, weight reduction is particularly im-
portant for retaining elements such as brackets. Any achievable
weight reduction can result in a tendency toward lower fuel
consumption or, alternatively, the possibility of increasing the
load capacity of aircraft.

Cabin bracket for the Airbus A350 XWB made of Ti, manufactured using the
LaserCUSING technology (Source: Airbus).

E-mail address: liznickelsfreelance@gmail.com. The Airbus A350 XWB in flight (Source: Airbus).

0026-0657/ß 2015 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved. http://dx.doi.org/10.1016/j.mprp.2015.06.005

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Metal Powder Report  Volume 70, Number 6  November/December 2015
Geometrical freedom
Hamburg-based Laser Zentrum Nord GmbH, worked closely with
Concept Laser to manufacture the bracket. It too, focuses on the
weight reduction. ‘The advantages for structural elements used in
aircraft are obvious,’ adds Prof. Dr.-Ing. Claus Emmelmann, CEO
of the company. ‘The high degree of geometrical freedom of design
enables more effective lightweight construction solutions com-
pared to conventional approaches. For the brackets we’re currently
focusing on, this means a considerable weight reduction, which in
turn translates into lower fuel consumption and the potential to
increase the load capacity of aircraft. These represent important
steps toward more sustainable solutions.’
Airbus installed several tons of test equipment in the first test
aircraft. This required thousands of Flight Test Installation (FTI)
brackets, to be produced in very small unit quantities. ‘In the
future we will be able to manufacture them close to where they’re
needed, without tools and on an ‘on demand’ basis – instead of
having to finance large warehouses to store rarely needed spare
parts all around the world,’ reports Peter Sander, head of emerging
technologies and concepts at Airbus. ‘This reduces capital com-
mitment while providing huge flexibility.’
One key aspect of AM is the omission of tools, which can reduce
the costs and shorten the whole process by up to 75%. ‘Moreover,
since tools are not required in the process, it’s now possible at an
early stage to produce functional samples of components that are
similar to series-produced components,’ Concept Laser says.
Sources of error can be identified in the early stages of the design
process, which allows for processes to be improved within the
project as a whole.
‘Another factor is that we can proceed directly from 3D designs
to the printer, that is, the laser melting system,’ says Sander.
‘Usually tools are required to manufacture aircraft parts – this is
now no longer the case for us. This saves money and shortens the
time until the component is available for use by up to 75%. To cite
an impressive statistic: previously we budgeted around six months
to develop a component – now, it’s down to one month.’
Concept Laser suggests that global aircraft manufacturing ca-
pacity to double over the next 20 years. ‘Metal additive manu-
facturing is becoming increasingly important in aircraft
manufacturing, due to the potential for quicker throughput times,
more cost-effective components and better design,’ the company
says. ‘3D printed aerospace parts in future will be able to absorb
specific lines of force but remain lightweight. Moreover, cost will
be reduced due to sustainability and resource conservation.’
‘If the direct cost of manufacturing a milled component is com-
pared with the cost of manufacturing the same component using
laser AM, the additive process is usually found to be less cost-
effective,’ adds Dr Emmelmann. ‘However, when the components
are redesigned and improved thanks to the new design possibilities,
e.g. by making them lighter or with higher functional performance
characteristics, there are already many examples of circumstances in
which the use of AM processes offers cost advantages.’
Another advantage is relative design freedom. ‘In addition to
reduced resource consumption, the freedom of design enjoyed by
aircraft engineers is also quite attractive,’ says Frank Herzog, CEO
of the company. ‘The ability to economically keep component
density under control and determine the microstructure quality
are additional aspects. Another fundamental quality feature is the
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ability to define the force distribution within the component,
which is often impossible with conventional parts or is consider-
ably more difficult to achieve.’
Waste reduction
In most conventional milling processes, the blanks are produced
from plate material, which, in extreme cases, can produce up to
95% recyclable waste. In laser melting, the process produces parts
with near-final contours, which means that only around 5% waste
is produced. ‘But even this waste can be reused after undergoing a
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screen sorting process,’ says Dr Emmelmann. ‘In aircraft
manufacturing, we work with the ‘buy to fly’ ratio, and 90% is
a fantastic figure. Naturally, this figure is also reflected in the
energy balance sheet.’
In small size production, there can also be cost reductions using
AM. ‘Batch size considerations are more essential in aircraft con-
struction than in volume manufacturing in order to achieve
economies of scale,’ adds Sander. ‘For instance, the comparatively
higher relative investment costs for casting molds are eliminated,
as well as any costs for tools that may be required.’
In future, it may be possible to additive manufacture spare parts
on demand in decentralized locations and without the need for
tools. In the event of a component failure, the spare part can be
produced directly where it is needed. As a consequence, mainte-
nance-related downtimes and inspection times for aircraft could
be reduced. ‘In the near future it will be possible to significantly
reduce the large spare parts depots with rarely used parts that are
currently essential given the long life cycles of today’s aircraft,’
Concept Laser suggests.
Machine constraints
Currently, the technology is constrained by the size of the
machines. However, joining methods for increasing component
size right up to the limits of physics are not hard to imagine,
experts suggest. ‘Previously unimaginable geometries can be com-
bined with functionalities for the first time,’ suggests Dr Emmel-
mann. As it is, he sees ‘great potential in particular for structural
components with dimensions of up to one meter, as well as for
engine components’.
Concept Laser’s system uses a camera and photo diode to monitor the
process within a very small area of 1  1 mm2. The process is then
documented (Source: Concept Laser GmbH, Lichtenfels, Germany).
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Other issues are a reduction in the fatigue strength of titanium,
for example. However, downstream surface treatments, such as
those using microblasting, can increase fatigue strength when
combined with proper heat treatment. Prof. Dr.-Ing. Emmelmann:
‘As a result, the values of a rolled material can be achieved.’
Concept Laser suggests that AM parts can have a unique struc-
ture, which the company describes as ‘bionic’. ‘Laser melting with
metals allows extremely fine, even bone-like, porous structures to
be produced,’ the company says. ‘Future aircraft parts will there-
fore have a ‘bionic’ look.’
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‘The first prototypes show the great potential of a bionically-
motivated approach involving all relevant safety requirements,’
adds Sander. ‘The process is expected to launch something of a
paradigm shift in design and production.’
Optimizing powders
GKN Aerospace, part of global engineering group GKN, recently
announced a new three-year £3.1 million collaborative research
program to develop titanium powder specifically formulated and
blended to meet the needs of AM aerospace components. The
program, called TiPOW (titanium powder for net-shape compo-
nent manufacture), will also develop the techniques and equip-
ment that will produce the powder consistently, in quantity and at
a lower price than current material.
The TiPOW programme is backed by the UK’s Aerospace Tech-
nology Institute (ATI) and the country’s innovation agency, Inno-
vate UK. Consortium partners include UK companies Phoenix
Scientific Industries Ltd, Metalysis and the University of Leeds.
As program leader, GKN’s aerospace business will also draw on the
expertise of the GKN Powder Metallurgy division, a global supplier
of metal powders and engineered components.
According to GKN, current AM often uses alloys and powders
that have not been developed for these processes and so are not
optimized for this environment. Together, the partners plan to
investigate how best to develop titanium alloys and powders with
characteristics specifically suited to AM. They will then define the
methods to produce AM-designed materials to ensure cost is
minimized whilst production quality, quantity and consistency
all meet the rigorous standards required by aerospace. The TiPOW
As part of GKN Aerospace’s research program, an engineer operates the
electron beam melting (EBM) machine to produce a solid metal part from
powder (Source: GKN).
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Metal Powder Report  Volume 70, Number 6  November/December 2015
program will also explore the re-use and recycling of titanium
material, and discover potential applications for the recycled
material.
Metal Powder Report spoke to Dr Rob Sharman, head of AM at
GKN Aerospace, about the company’s materials research.
‘AM is a range of different processes and technologies,’ he says.
‘The benefits range from providing a lower cost of manufacturing
of existing components to enabling new designs and materials
reducing weight and increasing performance.’
According to Dr Sharman, it’s important to look at the technol-
ogy as a whole. ‘It is not about parts but systems. AM enables
optimized designs of whole systems. AM is not about making what
you can make today, it is about making what you can’t make
today.’
He suggests that the technology, while new, is already at a very
advanced state. ‘Many OEMs are in or about to be in production
with AM processes so it is already at a mature level for adoption,’ he
says. ‘In fact AM gives some of the best material properties of any
processing technique. We are just at the infancy of the technology
and we expect it to grow significantly as there are so many benefits
across both engine and airframe.’
However, the biggest challenge is generating the data and
quality assurance for qualification for use in aerospace, Dr Shar-
man suggests.
Sustainability benefits
EOS is the global technology and quality leader for high-end AM
solutions. As the leading pioneer of direct metal laser sintering
(DMLS) technology, EOS also provides a polymer AM portfolio. For
EOS, the aerospace industry is a key growth market for AM. Engine
and turbine parts as well as cabin interior components are typical
applications. Furthermore, functional components with complex
geometries and defined aerodynamic properties can be produced
quickly and cost-effectively by using EOS systems, the company
says. Recently, the company worked with EADS to investigate the
potential cost and sustainability benefits of DMLS technology
during the operational phase in the re-design of Airbus A320
nacelle hinge brackets.
Graphic of the conventional design of a assessed steel cast bracket (left)
and titanium bracket with optimized topology made by using EOS; DMLS
technology (Source: EADS).
Metal Powder Report  Volume 70, Number 6  November/December 2015
In the test, cast steel nacelle hinge brackets were compared to an
additively manufactured (AM) bracket of optimized titanium
design by measuring the energy consumption over the whole
life cycle. For this application the operational phase is typically
100 times more important than the static phases (manufacturing
the part).
Energy consumption
A comparison was made between manufacturing the optimized
titanium component by rapid investment casting and on an EOS
platform. Energy consumption for the life cycle of the bracket,
including raw material manufacture, the production process and
the end-of-life phase, was found to be slightly smaller on the EOS
platform compared with rapid investment casting. The main
advantage of the EOS technology, however, was that the additive
process uses only the amount of material for manufacture that is in
the product itself. Thus consumption of raw material can be
reduced by up to 75%.
The design of the nacelle hinge bracket also allowed EADS and
EOS to demonstrate the potential to reduce the weight per aircraft
by approximately 10 kg. CO2 emissions as a result of the brackets
were reduced by almost 40% over their life cycle.
Functional integration
‘Creating lightweight parts using AM can be achieved in different
ways,’ Stuart Jackson, regional manager, UK and Ireland at EOS,
told Metal Powder Report. ‘AM enables hollow as well as bionic
structures that are not possible using conventional manufacturing
technologies, which nevertheless can withstand the same loads.
The technology enables functional integration, leading to imple-
menting as many technical functions as possible into as few parts
as possible.
‘The technology also allows different materials for aerospace
applications to be used, such as high temperature or flame
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retardant polymers,’ he reports. ‘When it comes to metals, the
AM process can improve the material properties and manufactured
parts have a higher quality and are more solid. The fact that
unfused metal material can be reused leads to lower costs as less
material is wasted compared with subtractive manufacturing.
‘Conventional casting methods normally need a certain wall
thickness for the mould. AM enables thinner wall thicknesses, e.g.
in a hydraulic manifold.’
According to Jackson, engine parts are a fertile field for AM. ‘We
will see particular developments in additively manufactured parts
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when it comes to parts integrated in jet engines: AM will enable
growing fuel savings for aircraft, as the engines will enable higher
temperatures.’
AM parts particularly shine when it comes to lightweight prop-
erties and smaller batch sizes.
‘AM produces parts that have a high value for aerospace, as
lightweight structures that can be manufactured using the tech-
nology in this industry lead to high potential savings,’ he says.
‘The technology is economical especially for smaller batch sizes,
which are common in aerospace. The use of AM becomes a valid
option, as it enables part complexity.
‘Compare this to, for example, the automotive industry. Here
the scenario is quite different. Batch sizes are huge and low
manufacturing cost-per-part is crucial. AM technology in the latter
industry currently still sees more rapid prototyping applications
and will see a slower adaption of the technology in series produc-
tion applications.
‘As AM technology develops further in terms of productivity
and costs-per-part, we will see other industries adopting it.’
Further information
Concept Laser; www.concept-laser.de
GKN Aerospace; www.gkn.com/aerospace
EOS; www.eos.info
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