This previous week, leaders of the aerospace trade congregated in France’s capital metropolis for the biannual Paris Air Present. This 12 months’s occasion—the fifty fifth version of the expo—noticed a specific concentrate on the subjects of sustainability, protection and inclusive trade progress. Unsurprisingly, there was additionally a major concentrate on additive manufacturing on the Air Present, with many AM gamers current and aerospace OEMs showcasing their newest improvements associated to the expertise. Should you missed the large occasion or are in search of a roundup of AM highlights, you’ve come to the fitting place.
Use circumstances and key parts
Probably the greatest components of any occasion that touches the AM trade is that it’s the excellent alternative to point out off some actually spectacular 3D printed parts. This was very a lot the case on the Paris Air Present, the place exhibitors put their AM plane and engine buildings within the highlight.
French engine producer Safran introduced its largest 3D printed element thus far to the Paris Air Present: a three-foot-diameter turbine rear body that—via AM redesign—is one-third lighter than its historically manufactured counterpart. Moreover, the 3D printed turbine rear body was manufactured inside simply three weeks, marking a major discount in lead instances in comparison with the 18 months required utilizing standard manufacturing strategies. Safran is reportedly aiming to get the AM lead time right down to beneath per week. The half was made utilizing SLM expertise and a nickel superalloy.
Swiss firm Oerlikon was additionally showcasing a variety of its aerospace options, together with coatings to guard crucial parts from corrosion and put on, in addition to 3D printed cooling plates to be deployed in fighter jets to assist handle thermal masses. The corporate additionally lately introduced the supply of its 25,000th 3D printed suppressor (produced from its MetcoAdd nickel powder) at its facility in Huntersville, North Carolina.
GKN Aerospace additionally took the chance on the Paris Air Present to announce the profitable industrialization of its Fan Case Mount Ring (FCMR) program, which is able to attain full-rate manufacturing by the tip of the 12 months. The FCMR half, made utilizing AM, is a crucial element within the Pratt & Whitney GTF engine, which powers Airbus’ A220 and Embraer E195-E2. Talking of Pratt & Whitney, the aerospace firm lately accomplished checks on its TJ150 turbine wheel, one of many first rotating components to be instantly 3D printed. The TJ150 is a turbojet engine with 150 kilos of thrust, excellent for powering autonomous techniques and weapons.
One of many bigger 3D printed aerospace components to be showcased on the Paris Air Present was made utilizing Nikon SLM Options’ large-format multi-laser LPBF expertise. The half in query, which measures one-meter in top, was made in partnership with France-based LISI AEROSPACE Additive Manufacturing for the Centre Nationwide d’ Études Spatiales’ (CNES) launcher software.
LISI AEROSPACE showcased a 3D printed metallic element with an built-in heater, made in partnership with Thales Alenia Area and CSEM within the context of the AHEAD mission. The 3D printed element is designed to each warmth and monitor a mechanically pumped fluid loop for a novel satellite tv for pc thermal management system developed by Thales Alenia Area.
France-based AM specialist VOLUM-e introduced a variety of spectacular 3D printed parts to the aerospace trade occasion, together with a crucial element for cryogenic engines for CNES. “CNES has entrusted VOLUM-e with the manufacturing of crucial parts for an modern propulsion system with electrical pumps, utilizing oxygen and liquid methane,” the corporate says. VOLUM-e additionally showcased different parts to reveal its broad AM experience, together with a formidable wall of fabric samples.
New or renewed partnerships
Business occasions are at all times the prime time to announce or ink new collaborations between corporations. The Paris Air Present 2025 was no exception, with a number of additive manufacturing corporations signing agreements with new companions or reinforcing current cooperations.
Among the many earliest tales from the occasion was from Nikon SLM Options which signed an MoU with Rocket Lab to order two of its upcoming “ultra-large-format” NXG metallic 3D printers. Rocket Lab, which manufactures area techniques and presents launch providers, has been leveraging AM for roughly a decade, together with for the event of “the world’s first 3D printed and electrical pump-fed orbital rocket engine.”
Nikon SLM Options additionally introduced a strategic partnership with ArianeGroup, which is able to see it help the manufacturing of parts bigger than one cubic meter via its metallic powder mattress fusion options. Owned by Airbus and Safran, ArianeGroup is prolific within the European aerospace trade, performing as lead contractor for ESA’s Ariane 6 launcher, in addition to for France’s M51 strategic missile.
In different partnership information from the Paris Air Present, GKN Aerospace has expanded its collaboration with UK-based Archer Aviation to fabricate and provide key airframe parts for Archer’s Midnight eVTOL. The Midnight plane is a piloted electrical air taxi that may carry as much as 4 passengers. One in all its key promoting factors is that it’s quiet and generates fewer emissions {that a} standard helicopter. The 2 corporations have been working collectively since 2023.
Metallic AM firm Velo3D additionally signed a Grasp Companies Settlement (MSA) with Vaya Area, which focuses on hybrid rockets and area propulsion techniques. The settlement, value $4 million will see Vaya Area use Velo3D’s Fast Manufacturing Resolution (RPS) to speed up the manufacture of crucial parts for its hybrid propulsion techniques. Vaya Area will likely be utilizing Velo3D’s Sapphire XC and XC1MZ printers and GRCop42 and Inconel 718 supplies to this finish.
Total, additive manufacturing continues to achieve floor throughout the aerospace trade, as is evident from its rising illustration at main occasions just like the Paris Air Present.
