Additive assembly: the 3D printed fastener

Think of 3D printing and you may imagine flimsy, plastic structures used to test initial designs. But the technology is slowly moving away from its prototyping roots, and aerospace engineers are now hoping to prove its potential, one component at a time. 
Now some claim that 3D printing could even create new capabilities in the fasteners and joints that hold together larger structures such as aircraft.

One large aircraft currently requires nearly a million fasteners, which have to withstand extreme and constant forces. As well as being strong, these components must be flexible, lightweight and aerodynamic. Airbus Group has been working on an alternative to traditional fasteners known as ‘hyper joining’ (hybrid penetrative reinforcement). The company claims a hyper joint is around six-and-a-half times stronger than a bonded joint and can absorb around 80 times more energy. The technique also leaves the surface of the joint completely level to reduce drag.