Additive Manufacturing for the Aerospace Industry

Additive manufacturing is on the verge of reshaping the way designers and manufacturers approach creating functional parts and structures for just about every aspect of society. From microchips to aircraft, innovations are being made that can make virtually any geometry out of materials ranging from flexible plastic to high strength Titanium. The medical industry has shown that it will be possible to build human organs layer by layer1,2; complex electronics are being constructed directly on to existing surfaces3; and researchers have been able to produce a complete working micro-UAV strictly from additive technologies.4 The main driver however in truly functional metal additive parts is being steered by the aerospace sector. The aerospace industry has been developing these metal "printing" technologies primarily focused on the application of TiAl6V4 into areas where significant cost savings can be realized5. This paper will serve to provide a current state of the art in metal-based additive manufacturing technologies for parts currently made by either casting or forging techniques. The application into the 'Vertical Lift' community can be addressed with additive manufacturing by a successful integration into the design and manufacturing stages of development