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3D Printing Solutions for Your Aerospace Application

You think about 3D printing metal parts for your aerospace application? Selective Laser Melting helps you to improve performance of metal parts, fastens up development cycles due to tool-less production and finally can reduce your costs in comparison to traditional manufacturing methods.

Whether your objective is to print prototypes or certified flightworthy parts – we help you to get successful with additive manufacturing. Find out more about the numerous manufacturing possibilities using SLM® technology in the aerospace industry below.

Selective Laser Melting Solutions for Aerospace Applications

  • Thrust Chambers

    Forget about the long assembly of numerous individual components. Selective Laser Melting can be used to manufacture monolithic thrust chambers combining multiple parts into one part. 3D printing filigree structures and internal cooling channels additionally lead to an improved part quality while reducing weight and save fuel.

  • Heat Exchangers

    Heat exchangers are highly requested in the aerospace industry. Using the freedom of design of Selective Laser melting, the performance can be improved significantly.

  • Jet Engines

    The new freedom of design created by selective laser melting makes it possible to produce jet engines with clean combustion, improved durability and higher efficiency. SLM® technology leads to cost advantages compared to casting and milling at low rate production of complex parts and to faster development cycles due to tool-less production.

  • Brackets

    Selective Laser Melting opens numerous advantages in the production of brackets like significant weight reduction, reduction of assembly time or significant reduction of machine timing.

  • Satellite and Spacecraft Parts

    Customers producing spacecraft and satellite parts in small batches already benefit from SLM® technology that enables the production of functional prototypes and end-use components. The fast development cycles lead to improved innovation speed and shortens time to market.

Success Stories

Monolithic Thrust Chamber from Cell Core GmbH

Printed on: SLM®280
Material: IN718,
Layer Thickness: 30µm
Build Time: 3d, 5h, 34 min (full load one piece)

This monolithic thrust chamber of CellCore GmbH directly integrates multiple parts and internal features. It has an improved functional cooling due to an innovative lattice structure, which also increases stability. It is highly efficient and minimizes individual process steps while combining multiple individual parts into one component; production time reduced from months to days. 

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Success Stories

Gooseneck Kueger Flap Actuation Bracket From Asco Industries

Printed on: SLM®280 Twin
Material: Ti6Al4V
Layer Thickness: 30µm Layer Thickness
Build Time: 1d 19h11min (full load, 2 pieces)

This structural component from a Krueger flap actuation mechanism was optimized at ASCO Industries in the course of the AFLoNext Project. Through additive manufacturing, 31% weight savings and a reduction of the total assembly time could be reached. It integrates three parts into one reduced assembly and has an improved buy-to-fly ratio reduced from 17 down to 1.5. The build time was significantly reduced by 42% using a SLM®280 Twin, compared to single-laser machines. 

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Recommended SLM® Machine For Aerospace Applications

SLM®800

With an extended z-axis, the SLM®800 is suitable for the large-scale production of parts with up to 850mm height. Up to five machines can be connected to one SLM®HUB, SLM Solutions' fully automatic handling station.

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SLM®500

With its larger build envelope featuring 500 x 280 x 365 mm, the SLM®500 system is optimized for high volume projects in the aerospace industry. Safety and material quality is increased through a closed loop powder handling while a part removal station for efficient unpacking increases machine downtime. 

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SLM®280 Production Series

The SLM®280 Production Series targets the serial production processes with fully automatic powder management in inert gas atmosphere and provides a patented, enhanced gas flow that creates a clean process environment and increase build quality. A permanent filter module additionally increases machine uptime and safety.

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SLM®280 2.0

The SLM®280 2.0 Twin fulfills the requirements of aerospace industry for optimum material quality and is particularly suitable for prototyping. Paired with a Powder Sieving Machine (PSM), the machine offers high material flexibility. Manual sieves allow efficient material changeover for adaptable production while maintaining safety and quality. Equipped with patented multi-beam technology and bi-directional recoating it helps shorten production times.

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Recommended Material

SLM Solutions provides a wide range of suitable materials for the aerospace industry which meet the stringent requirements of aircraft engine manufacturers for metallographic and mechanical properties.

Our portfolio includes: 

  • Ni-Based Alloys: IN625, IN718 and HX
  • Ti-Based Alloys: TIAl6V4
  • Al-Based Alloys: AlSi10Mg 

 

MORE SLM®  MATERIALS

Quality Standards for Aerospace Industry

We are experts when it comes to qualification of metal parts and our machines and help you at each stage of the process. SLM Solutions supports aerospace projects with relevant documentation, certificates, pFMEAs, parameters, powders, aero-space tailored services and more. Contact us and let's share our knowledge with you to boost your metal additive manufacturing production.