What Happened with 3D Printing in Aerospace?
After decades of tinkering and years of major investments, aerospace and defense companies finally have found resonant missions for their 3D printers.
The catch: It is for personal protective equipment (PPE), the face masks and gear in strong demand following the COVID-19 outbreak, not for A&D products.
In April, Boeing announced it was activating its additive manufacturing (AM) network to create parts for face shields using 3D printing. The giant A&D company targeted an initial production rate of several thousand a week. Unionized workers donated overtime, and AM machines from St. Louis to Puget Sound in Washington to Huntington Beach, California, and Huntsville, Alabama, were engaged. Boeing’s advanced technology subsidiaries Argon ST and Aurora Flight Sciences also participated.