3D printed parts fly onboard military jets for the first time

The engineers at BAE Systems responsible for the components, a mix of plastic protective covers and metal support struts, said they demonstrated how 3D printing could reduce costs and increase strength compared to conventionally made parts.

The company is undertaking a programme of designing and producing 3D printed components that it claims has already cut the cost of repairs, maintenance and service to the Royal Air Force by more than £300,000 and will result in more than £1.2m of savings over the next four years.

3D printing can reduce the cost of producing small numbers of components – which is common in the aerospace industry – because it doesn’t require the creation of custom manufacturing tools.

‘This will be quite a game changer, not just for the aerospace industry but for a number of industries, producing parts in small batches,’ BAE head of airframe integration Mike Murray told The Engineer.