FIA 2024, where additive manufacturing takes to the skies

VoxelMatters attended this year’s Farnborough International Airshow (FIA), to see firsthand which companies are playing the largest roles, and how they were applying the technology to aerospace industry-related applications. The display of metal 3D printing applications by far outweighed all the other materials, but it was not alone, with some interesting and innovative polymer technologies also in the spotlight. Here we provide a preview of what we saw. The data and information collected during our visit are presented in great detail in – and provided key input for – VoxelMatters’ newest market study on the Aerospace AM Market 2023-2033.

The aerospace industry has been one of the early adopters of 3D printing/additive manufacturing (AM) technology, right from the start, and is still one of the industries benefitting the most from it. It’s no surprise that aerospace companies rely so heavily on this technology for lightweighting, aerodynamic optimization, and structural integrity – all key drivers for performance and sustainability.

From titanium alloys to aluminum, copper, and more, metal PBF is the most prominent form of metal AM within the aerospace industry, due to its ability to produce complex, high-strength parts that would be unachievable through traditional manufacturing methods. Industry leaders like GKN Aerospace, Velo3D, Nikon SLM Solutions, and Colibrium Additive – all of whom specialize in metal 3D printing hardware, materials, services or internal use – were in attendance at the FIA.

In the beginning, Velo3D grew almost solely as a result of the demand from the aerospace company SpaceX – which has recently invested a further $5 to $8 million in the company’s technology. The Velo3D Sapphire systems are capable of producing large, intricate metal parts without the need for supports – all within a distributed cyber-secure ecosystem (a necessity for industries such as aerospace that are closely related to defense).

GKN Aerospace uses metal AM technology to streamline the production of aerospace components, particularly through methods such as Laser Metal Deposition with Wire (LMD-w) – which allows the company to produce large, complex structures like titanium aerostructures, faster and more efficiently.

Optisys, now part of Nikon SLM Solutions, uses direct metal laser sintering (DMLS) to produce highly efficient and compact RF antennas for aerospace and communication applications. Thanks to the technology, the company can drastically reduce the number of individual parts – sometimes by as much as 99% – by combining multiple functions into a single, integrated metal component. This results in antennas that are significantly lighter and more compact, which is critical for aerospace and satellite systems. Optisys also reduces lead times and production costs by up to 75% – making their process highly efficient for rapid prototyping and small-scale production.

At the FIA, Linde, the German multinational chemical company, showcased aerospace applications for its TRUFORM metal powders, which are optimized for various AM processes, including Laser Powder Bed Fusion (LPBF) and Direct Energy Deposition (DED). Metals like titanium, nickel, and cobalt in the TRUFORM line are known for their durability, corrosion resistance, and performance in high-temperature environments, meeting the stringent demands of the aerospace industry.

Metal 3D printing is now responsible for producing everything from engine parts to aerodynamic surfaces – all while contributing to fuel efficiency through lighter structures (the technology’s ability to produce parts using fewer materials also means that less waste is produced during production), and improved airflow.

While metal AM dominates the aerospace sector, polymer materials are also contributing significantly to the industry. Airtech Advanced Materials was one of the leading polymer manufacturers exhibiting at the FIA, where it showcased its lightweight composite tooling solutions.

Airtech utilizes its Dahltram series of thermoplastic composite resins – designed for large-scale AM – for aerospace applications, particularly for creating high-performance composite tooling. The Dahltram resins, known for their low thermal expansion and robustness, are capable of withstanding both high and low temperatures – making them ideal for producing aerospace components that need to endure extreme conditions, such as autoclave environments.

PPG Aerospace uses its Ambient Reactive Extrusion (ARE) technology to produce custom 3D printed silicone seals, which are primarily used for aerospace applications. This technology enables the production of preformed seals, gaskets, and other complex components with high precision. The ARE process allows PPG to print seals directly from aerospace-qualified materials – significantly reducing waste, production time, and labor compared to traditional methods. For example, the technology has previously been used to manufacture ramp seals for Lockheed Martin’s C-130J aircraft – demonstrating a 30% cost reduction and faster installation times. These silicone seals are designed to withstand extreme environments – making them highly suitable for applications requiring durability and performance under stress, such as in fuel tanks, doors, windows, and cockpit seals.

3D printed sand casting, another application gaining traction, allows manufacturers to create molds for complex cast metal parts directly from digital designs. This process reduces tooling costs and accelerates the prototyping phase. While less glamorous than metal AM, sandcasting’s role in rapid prototyping (and increasingly for end-use in production lines) is invaluable.

Companies like Tanida, a Japanese manufacturing technology company, offer services that leverage digital sand casting to accelerate product development cycles. The ability to create custom molds on-demand reduces inventory requirements and minimizes waste – contributing to more sustainable manufacturing practices, and ultimately bridging the gap between rapid prototyping and full-scale production.

Many other companies present at this year’s FIA utilized 3D printing in hybrid manufacturing processes, but are not fully-fledged AM providers.

GF Machining Solutions, for instance, combines traditional machining with AM to enhance precision and efficiency in producing aerospace components. Similarly, companies like Accrofab and FasTech integrate 3D printing into their broader manufacturing capabilities – using it for specific parts of the production process to improve lead times and part performance.

Companies like Hexagon, a meteorological technology and manufacturing software company, were also present. Although the company does not necessarily develop 3D printing-specific products, its offerings do enable to broader adoption of AM technology. Its expertise in measurement and quality assurance plays a critical role in ensuring that 3D printed parts meet the stringent requirements of the aerospace industry.

From prototyping to end-use parts, AM enables faster development cycles, customization, and higher-performance components. As we saw at the FIA, metal applications currently drive the most change, but as polymers and other materials catch up, 3D printing will undoubtedly broaden its influence. Particularly within the aerospace industry, the technology has been and will continue to (increasingly so), have an enormously positive impact – as a critical enabler of ‘humanity becoming a spacefaring civilization’, as SpaceX’s Elon Musk puts it.

Next up at Farnborough is the new International Space Show, in March 2025. To learn more about the use of AM within Aerospace, read the free VoxelMatters Aerospace AM Focus 2024 eBook.