Aerospace leads in additive manufacturing

The unique advantages of making metal parts from powder-bed additive manufacturing are looking attractive to engine manufacturers.

Disruptive technology usually means something so uniquely different that it requires manufacturers to adapt to it in sometimes significant ways. The trade-off is the promise of substantial advantages in cost, time, or performance.

Ben Horine, Director of Advanced Manufacturing at GE Aviation, thinks of metal-based additive manufacturing as a disruptive technology-in particular, powder-bed technology for creating metal parts. While he sees issues, the potential advantages are worth it if they can solve certain problems.