AEROSPACE SUPPLEMENT
PLASTIC ADDITIVE PARTS INCREASINGLY FAVOURED
modi ed aircraft, as well as holders for safety
knives and switches for aircraft interiors, while
producing speci c ground-running equipment far
more quickly and cheaply than for the
aluminium alternative parts.
Chris Botting, materials, processes and
additive manufacturing engineer at Marshall,
says: “When manufacturing on complex
engineering programs, we need a method that
can create an accurate, complex, functional and
lightweight duct ef ciently with minimal tooling
costs – this is where 3D printing ts perfectly.
“We also need to ensure that the ducting
work produced will be approved by the European
Aviation Safety Agency (EASA) for ight. As a
result, we’re using the Stratasys Fortus 450mc
and ULTEM 9085 resin – a tough yet lightweight
3D-printing material with high thermal and
chemical resistance.
“This has been crucial to overcoming the
stringent requirements of our industry, as we
can now print parts with the desired ame,
smoke and toxicity properties for use on aircraft
interiors.”
A recent application has seen Marshall
create a ducting adapter prototype for vital
ground-running equipment – essential for
providing fresh air to cool an aircraft’s avionics.
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February 2020 www.machinery.co.uk @MachineryTweets
Continues Bott: “Before committing to
expensive aluminium machining, we used the
Fortus 450mc to print a prototype in ASA
material. It enabled us to create an accurate
working prototype of a complex component.
“We were then able to demonstrate it had
the potential to be 3D-printed in Nylon 12
material, as opposed to the more conventional
method of machining from aluminium. The
3D-printed duct led to a signi cant cost
reduction, compared to machining the part out
of aluminium, as well as a 63% cent reduction
in overall weight.”
Marshall is also using Stratasys 3D printers
for a range of complex tooling applications,
including drill jigs, masking templates, bonded
xtures and composite mould tooling.
It regularly creates customised, low-volume
production tools within 24 hours of an
engineer’s request. 3D-printed thermoplastic
tools are replacing heavier metal alternatives,
reducing the burden on the company’s
operators, as well as delivering cost and lead
time advantages on urgent operational tasks.
Concludes Bott: “3D-printing technology has
altered the way we work, and the aerospacegrade
materials enable us to meet increasingly
aggressive deadlines and complex
manufacturing requirements.
“In the future, there is no doubt that 3D
printing will continue to have a signi cant
impact in the way we design and manufacture in
our business.”
Materials development is often behind the
expansion of applications and last year
Stratasys added to its tally of plastics suitable
for aerospace and general manufacturing
duties. Materials introduced included Antero
840CN03 for the Stratasys Fortus F900 3D
printer and Diran 410MF07 and ABS-ESD7 for
the Stratasys F370 3D printer. They are suitable
for manufacturing applications in industries
such as automotive and aerospace to engineer
advanced 3D-printed jigs and xtures, tooling,
prototypes and production parts.
Antero, with ESD properties, can create
strong yet lightweight parts used in frames,
panels and components. The material is suited
to customised tooling and parts with consistent
electrostatic discharge (ESD) performance, and
is ideal for printing high temperature- and
chemical-resistant parts with ultra-low
outgassing and exceptional wear properties.
“Manufacturing spacecraft poses intense
material challenges in the development of parts
that exhibit the right attributes,” explains Brian
Kaplun, senior manager for advanced
manufacturing, Lockheed Martin Space.
“One of those challenges is getting the right
ESD or electrostatic dissipative properties,
among other physical and mechanical
characteristics. Stratasys Antero ESD ts our
needs for outgassing and electrostatic
dissipative properties in a strong but lightweight
additive manufacturing material.”
HORIZONTAL /
VERTICAL LATHES
FOR ULTRA
PRECISION
TECHNOLOGY
The Settling Rooms, Springfield Street.
MARKET HARBOROUGH. Leicestershire LE16 8BD
Tel No. 01858 467182
e-mail: simon@kyalmachinetools.co.uk
www.kyalmachinetools.co.uk
The Stratasys Fortus 450mc used by Marshall
Aerospace and Defence Group
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