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Airbus 3D Printed Parts A350

3D Printing Integrated Into Aircraft Production – Fathom

3D Printing Integrated Into Aircraft Production—DDM Strategy Paying Dividends for Airbus

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In a joint release earlier this month, Stratasys and leading aircraft manufacturer Airbus announced that their partnership would include the standardization of ULTEM™ 9085 3D printing material for the production of flight parts for the Airbus A350 XWB aircraft.

ULTEM™ 9085 is used in a variety of Stratasys’ FDM 3D printers, well-known for its mechanical properties, including strength-to-weight ratio and FST (flame, smoke and toxicity) compliance that make it especially well-suited to aerospace applications.

According to the announcement, “ULTEM 9085 enables the production of strong, lighter weight parts while substantially lowering manufacturing costs and production time.”

“In 2014, Airbus produced a significant amount of parts on its Stratasys FDM-based 3D Printers for use in new A350 XWB aircraft, enabling Airbus to meet delivery commitments on-time,” said Andy Middleton, President, Stratasys EMEA. “We are pleased to support Airbus as they industrialize the inclusion of Stratasys 3D printed parts in the A350 XWB production supply chain.”

“Direct Digital Manufacturing eliminates the need to invest in a conventional tool that is the standard of traditional manufacturing,” Fathom Co-Founder Rich Stump wrote in a recent blog post. “The DDM process is becoming more widely adopted because of its ability to produce manufactured parts more quickly and cost effectively.”

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With its need for high-performance, lightweight parts, the aerospace industry has been an early adopter of additive manufacturing at each step of the design cycle, from prototyping to end-use production. More and more industries are using the technology for low-volume manufacturing as the quality and durability of additively manufactured parts continues to reach new heights.

“We see the demand for our additive manufacturing solutions coming from a variety of time-sensitive industries, including everything from aerospace and automotive to medical and consumer products,” added Middleton. “By adopting Stratasys additive manufacturing strategies in supply chain management, companies can not only protect time-to-market commitments but also increase product innovation while decreasing inventory requirements.”

To learn more about direct digital manufacturing, specifically the break-even point between 3D printing and injection molding, check out Tool-Less Manufacturing—Mitigate Rish, Lower Costs and Gain Agility with Stump. Also, he will be leading a workshop discussion on December 13 at Inside 3D Printing in San Diego to provide greater insight into The Opportunity with Direct Digital Manufacturing.

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Manufacturing Locations Across National Time Zones
Manufacturing Locations Across National Time Zones
The Fathom Advanced Manufacturing Platform
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HEADQUARTERS

1050 Walnut Ridge Drive
Hartland, WI 53029
ISO 9001:2015
AS9100:2016
ITAR

ARIZONA

444 W. 21st St. Ste. 101
Tempe, AZ 85282
ISO 9001:2015
NIST800-171 Compliant
ITAR

COLORADO

7770 Washington St.
Denver, CO 80229
ISO 9001:2015
ITAR

MINNESOTA

13758 Johnson Street NE
Ham Lake, MN 55304

TEXAS

1801 Rowe Lane
Pflugerville, TX 78660
ISO 9001:2015
AS9100:2016

1513 Sam Bass Rd
Round Rock, TX 78681
ISO 9001:2015
ISO 13485:2016

CALIFORNIA

620 3rd Street
Oakland, CA 94607
ISO 9001:2015 Design Certified
NIST 800-171 Compliant
ITAR

FLORIDA

14000 N.W. 58th Court
Miami Lakes, FL 33014

NEW YORK

1920 Slaterville Rd
Ithaca, NY 14850
ITAR

401 W. Shore Blvd.
Newark, NY 14513
AS9100:2016
ISO 9001:2015
ITAR

ILLINOIS

1207 Adams Drive
McHenry, IL 60051
ISO 9001:2015

1401 Brummel Ave
Elk Grove, IL 60007
ISO 9001:2015 Design Certified

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