The uses of Additive Manufacturing technology in aviation

Abstract

Additive manufacturing refers to the process when a component is manufactured by the contentious addition of material on a substrate. It offers high geometric freedom in manufacturing without sacrifice in structural strength and allows reduction in weight by using material more efficiently. These unique abilities that conventional manufacturing do not have offers new opportunities for aviation industries. The used of additive manufacturing in aviation started in the 2010s, however, because it is still a relatively new technology in aviation, its use has been limited. In recent years more additive manufacturing started to appear in aero-engines, in the cabin and new experimental projects conducted gives new insights on how we may make use this technology. This review will discuss the current usages of different additive manufacturing technologies in different sections of aviation, repairing technology using additive manufacturing, the detection and removal defects of additive manufactured components and the future prospects of additive manufacturing in aviation.