Utilizing Additive Manufacturing / 3-D Printing to Optimize Design and Support Solutions for One-Off Spares and Support Product Requirements

Out-of-production aircraft continue to have demand for spare parts that are designed and fabricated with the tooling, processes and materials that were optimized during the high-rate production periods. Similarly, component repair and overhaul support equipment can require broaching, machining, electrical discharge machining (EDM), grinding and polishing and other techniques necessary to achieve reliable functionality of the system. In both cases the low production volume for these parts requires significant non-recurring set-up, tooling, and quality controls costs that affect the per-unit costs and lead times. The maturing technology of additive manufacturing and 3-D printing is now allowing companies to strategize around "growing parts" from a digital database and bypass the design paradigms and production costs inherited from historical manufacturing limitations. Engineers who understand the design freedom of additive manufacturing could leverage the capability and optimize support equipment functionality even further to increase maintainability and safety of usage. As additive materials continue to develop, more and more low-volume spare parts could be converted from traditional, production-driven designs to parts grown-when-needed.