Autodesk shows largest 3D printed aircraft part ever

2023-04-17 19:31:12

Autodesk will be showing one of the demonstrators from the EU-Horizon program Clean Sky 2 at the Hannover Messe this week as an example of how generative design and additive manufacturing can reduce the environmental impact of aircraft. A frame of more than one meter in size was designed with generative design and then printed in metal.


GE has developed a frame for the turbine in an aircraft with Autodesk Fusion 360. The metal part currently consists of 150 separate components. The MOnACO project (Manufacturing of a large AM component) was carried out together with the technical universities of Dresden and Hamburg-Harburg.

Weight reduction of 30 percent thanks to generative design ensures lower fuel consumption

From 150 to 1 part

AutoDesk has provided the advanced tools for design optimization. Through function integration, one of the advantages of additive manufacturing, the 150 separate components are merged into one whole. The frame, printed in metal, measures more than a meter in diameter and weighs 30 percent less than a conventionally produced turbine frame. Also, the pressure loss in the component has been reduced by more than 90%. All this contributes to a significant reduction in fuel consumption in the aviation industry.

Less material loss than casting and forging

The turbine frame is printed in Inconel 718 on a metal printer from GE Additive, the ATLAS printer. The lead time for production has been just 2.5 months, compared to more than 9 months that is usual for this type of component. Until now, these turbine frames are cast and partly forged and then further machined. Additive manufacturing as a production technique results in much less material waste. According to the researchers, this could be the biggest contribution to reducing environmental impact. To date, it is one of the largest metal aircraft parts that have been 3D printed.

The drone was designed with generative design (Fuson 360) and then 3D printed, so that many separate parts could be integrated into one part (photo Autodesk).

Drone from one complex shape

Autodesk is going big in Hanover with the theme of additive manufacturing. The drone OCM Driver and Drone is also shown. The parts for the drone are also made with Autodesk Fusion 360 in such a way that many parts have been reduced to a single, complex form. This was then printed.

Netfab en One Click Metal

Also on the stand is One Click Metal, the startup that originally grew out of Trumpf that builds user-friendly 3D metal printers for SMEs. Autodesk Netfabb additive manufacturing, design and simulation software was used to build the printer’s advanced drive component, responsible for opening and closing the powder cartridges for the One Click Metal printer. Fusion 360 with Netfabb was instrumental in optimizing the process.

The Hannover Messe will run until April 21

Monaco

The turbine frame from the Clean Sky 2 project. Photo GE Aerospace



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