3D printing has been widely used in the aerospace sector to manufacture aerospace components that are more dependent on aesthetics instead of functions. These include door handles, light housings, and full interior dashboard designs. 3D printing is also used to manufacture metal brackets that often perform a structural function inside aircraft. Over the years, increasing number of prototypes have been 3D printed which have enabled designers to enhance the form and refine fit of the finished parts. 3D printing in aerospace sectors have enabled efficient production of interior aircraft components such as cockpit dashboards and door handles. Additive manufacturing technologies have been used for prototyping, repair and maintenance, and for producing parts and components. 3D printing has also been used for jigs, fixtures, and tooling or bridge production. With constant advancements in 3D printing, use cases of this technology are expected to increase dramatically in the aerospace, space, and defense sector.

3D printing has been applied in almost all the stages of the design workflow for applications in the aerospace industry such as in design communication wherein 3D printing is used to create concept models that showcase a new component of aircraft and is also regularly used for aerodynamic testing that plays a crucial role in aerospace industry. Prototyping using 3D printing helps develop products that are low-cost and can be used to produce low to medium runs of parts. 3D printing in aerospace also allows for customization of aerospace components that are highly complex to improve aircraft performance. 3D printed components reduce weight of the aircraft, minimize fuel costs significantly, and provide consolidation and topology optimization of many custom aerospace components. Over the years, more and more companies have developed newer technologies and materials for aerospace 3D printing.

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In April 2022, National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA) announced development of all-new metal 3D printing allow that has been specifically designed for use in high-performance aerospace systems. GRX-810 is an example of an oxide dispersion strengthened alloy and the material can reportedly withstand very high temperatures such as above 1090 °C. NASA plans to utilize this material to 3D print high-temperature components for systems including rocket engines as it can improve fuel efficiency and lower maintenance costs. In addition, in a recent breakthrough research study published in May 2022, a team of researchers led by the University of Glasgow developed a 3D printable carbon nanotube-based plastic material that can sense its own structural health. This material has the potential to find new applications in automotive and aerospace design wherein low-density, tough materials having self-sensing capabilities are extremely desirable.

Major companies in the aerospace 3D Printing market include Stratasys Ltd., Höganäs AB, EOS GmbH, Norsk Titanium AS, MTU Aero Engines AG, 3D Systems Corporation, Materialise NV, Ultimaker BV, EnvisionTEC GmbH, and ExOne. In May 2022, EOS announced a strategic partnership with Hyperganic, which is a prominent player in engineering design software, to improve design and performance of 3D printed aerospace components. Under the partnership, the companies will be integrating Hyperganic Core, which is the AI-based algorithmic engineering software of Hyperganic, into laser powder bed fusion 3D printers developed by EOS. This will allow EOD customers to design their space propulsion components by leveraging algorithmic models and this transition is expected to further streamline the design workflow and accelerate development of components with correct geometries and optimal performance efficiency.   

Growing Focus on Emission-Free Flying to Drive Development of Zero Emission Aircraft Engines and Contribute to Market Growth

 

Aviation industry accounts for almost 2% of the global carbon dioxide emissions – which converts to the addition of nearly one billion tons of carbon to the atmosphere. This has accelerated the race to find viable alternatives to fossil fuels for commercial use and private planes. Over the recent past, extensive research and development activities have been carried out to develop new and more efficient engines that can result in reduced fuel consumption and harmful, toxic emissions. Each new generation of aircraft engine improves the fuel efficiency by 20%. With commercial fleet expected to grow radically by the next decade, sustainable flying approaches such as biofuels – including sugar cane and recycled cooking oil – are the next options to reduce carbon emissions and minimize negative environment impact which is major driver for the growth of Zero Emission Aircraft Engines Market.

Hydrogen fuel cells are being considered as the potential solution to zero carbon flying and in the recent years, a number of aircraft manufacturers have put forth designs that use liquid hydrogen to power their zero emission aircrafts. For instance, Airbus unveiled its Zero-e concept, back in 2020. Zero-e is a range of zero-carbon hydrogen-powered airliners that include an electric-engine propeller that leverage hydrogen fuels to generate power. In a recent news, in March 2022, FlyZero, which is a U.K.-based research project led by the Aerospace Technology Institute, released its vision for a new generation of liquid hydrogen-powered aircraft. The report has been titled “Our Vision for Zero-Carbon Emission Air Travel” and is the result of a yearlong investigation for understanding the feasibility of zero-carbon aircraft. The project suggests aviation industry can achieve its net zero emissions goals by 2050 if green liquid hydrogen and sustainable aviation fuel (SAF) technologies are developed. While hydrogen and electric aircraft are decades away from widespread use, industry is turning towards sustainable aviation fuel (SAF) to reduce emissions in the near future. SAFS are popular with airlines as they can be seamlessly integrated into the current aircraft models without needing any changes to the current engines.

Airlines are under pressure from consumers and environmental agencies to slash emissions to mitigate climate change and pollution and this has led to airlines pledging net-zero aviation by 2050. One way towards zero emissions is the use of electric aircraft and while the current battery technology will not allow medium and long haul flights, it can play a significant role in short-haul routes over the coming years. In a research study published in Journal of Transport Geography, researchers focused on studying the emission reduction potential of First Generation Electric Aircraft (FGEA) in Finland. According to the research study, replacing all existing aircraft with FGEA can be recommended as it can drastically reduce carbon emissions and real travel times (RTT).  

Major airlines and manufactures are investing heavily to develop sustainable alternate jet fuel to reduce greenhouse emissions of aviation industry. Major companies in the Zero Emission Aircraft Engines industry include irbus SE, Rolls-Royce PLC, National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA), Aurora Flight Sciences Corporation (The Boeing Company), Lilium GmbH, BETA Technologies, Inc., Bye Aerospace, Inc., Equator Aircraft AS, ZeroAvia, Inc., and Ampaire Inc. In February 2022, Airbus announced plans to test a hydrogen-powered jet engine by the middle of this decade and will be fitting out a superjumbo A380 with a hydrogen propulsion engine. The engine will be fitted to the body of the aircraft along with four conventional jet turbines that are already present under the wings. The cutting-edge technology will be developed in association with turbine manufacturer CFM International, which is a company jointly owned by General Electric and Safran Aircraft Engines. The test is expected to be conducted in 2026 as the company, which is the largest plane manufacturer in the world, pushed to meet its 2035 deadline of building the first zero emission aircraft for commercial purposes.