Metal additive manufacturing in aircraft: Current application, opportunities and challenges

Abstract

Additive Manufacturing (AM) has huge advantages in prototyping and rapid manufacturing, also potentials in integrated design, cost and weight reduction, which are suitable for applications in aircraft. In recent years, aircraft manufactures as well as aviation authorities have made significant progress in Metal Additive Manufacturing components and structures, from materials and processes, to authority approval. Also, new AM technologies are still under rigid development, many of which have even more potentials than current favorite processes like selected laser melting (SLM), wire-arcing additive manufacturing (WAAM). However, as the first and overall requirement for aircraft, security level of AM components are still in question. Stability in mechanical properties, researches in fatigue and defect and issues in AM certification are major concerns for manufactures before AM technologies are really and widely used in aircraft design and manufacturing.