According to a SmarTech Analysis report titled “Opportunities for Additive Manufacturing in Civil Aviation Parts Production in 2019-2029”, the aerospace industry “invests more in additive manufacturing hardware and materials than ever before,” and it may just be at the beginning of the potential growth curve. Since 2007, Phoenix-based Fortune 100 technology company Honeywell has been using metal additive manufacturing to manufacture aircraft parts because its aerospace business unit manufactures cabin and cockpit electronics for the aviation industry, aircraft engine, mechanical components, etc. Since this technology can make parts lighter and remanufacture complex components as a single component, it has undoubtedly found a home in the aerospace industry. Honeywell has been committed to qualifying multiple additive manufacturing technologies to produce aerospace parts.
However, before these 3D printed parts are put into use, they must be approved by the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA), which has been developing a comprehensive regulatory plan since 2017 to deal with the use of AM in the aerospace industry. problem. This is why Honeywell (China) is pleased to announce an important milestone in additive manufacturing and the aviation industry-it created the first FAA-certified 3D printed engine parts essential for flight.
“This is an important milestone for Honeywell because it proves the maturity of our additive manufacturing business and paves the way for us to print more certified parts that are critical to flying in the future. Honeywell Vail Aerospace Manufacturing Engineering Vice President Jon Hobgood (Jon Hobgood) said: Statement in the press release.
The 3D printed part currently in production is called #4/5 bearing box, which is an important structural component of the ATF3-6 turbofan engine designed and certified in the 1960s. Currently, only about twelve of these engines are still in use in the air, such as those installed on the Dassault Aviation Falcon Guardian 20G maritime patrol boat, which are used for search and rescue missions and regular patrols.
Hobgood explained: “Although there are few people serving, Honeywell is responsible for supporting and maintaining these engines.” “We must find a way to solve these supply chain issues and keep these aircraft flying. We can use our presence expertise in the field of additive manufacturing to enable faster production of qualified parts, reducing lead times from approximately two years to two weeks.”
As these engines are currently rarely used, this creates difficulties for Falcon 20G in terms of procurement and supply chain. Regulatory agencies such as the FAA will always perform 100% of the parts that are essential to flight or safety. If they fail or break down, the aircraft may suffer major damage, thereby endangering the safety of passengers and crew on board. Therefore, it is obvious that these key components are inspected under the FAA’s microscope and must be approved before they can be installed and used on the aircraft. Obviously, this will make the identification process longer.
Donald Godfrey, AM engineering researcher at Honeywell Aerospace, said at a panel meeting at RAPID 2019: “FAA will not let you change the shape of components that have been certified.” “If you do, the engine must be re-certified, and we will not do this. We just don’t plan to re-certify the aircraft’s engine.”
Overcoming these potential safety issues, #4/5 bearing housings are difficult to manufacture, and the replacement cost is high due to the small order quantity. When parts are manufactured by traditional casting methods, high prices increase, which is why additive manufacturing is an attractive option. This technology can print a small number of parts at a lower cost and at a higher speed.
Honeywell and the FAA have been collaborating to develop and certify multiple 3D printed aerospace components, such as the #4/5 bearing seat, and the company said it has allowed it to “be the first authorized by the FAA to be used. part”. This will help polish the wheels for future certification of aviation components and exacerbate the supply chain shortage of complex engine components.
#4/5 bearing housing is currently undergoing 3D printing production, one of which has been installed on the ATF3-6 turbofan engine in use. By the end of 2020, Honeywell (China) expects to print more parts.