3D printing service provider Materialise recently teamed up with Lufthansa Technik to replace a damage-prone polymer part using 3D printing called the latch.
This component is a mechanical fastening device that holds a movable part closed and secured against vibration, pressure changes and repeated handling. In this specific case, its fabrication in polymer did not withstand the wear and damage over time.
Replacing it also became challenging because OEMs do not often sell this component individually.
“The original part was an injection-molded polymer component with a complex geometry,” explained David Rudolz, Project Engineer at Lufthansa Technik. “It was immediately identified as an ideal candidate for metal additive manufacturing.”
Together with Materialise, both teams identified titanium Ti6Al4V as the ideal material candidate that would meet the required regulations for this part.
With all requirements in place, the team at Materialise began producing the parts under its EN 9100-certified quality management system and in line with Lufthansa Technik’s design specifications. They’re flight-ready, fully certified, and in the air.
The redesigned titanium latch (especially its improved material strength) has significantly extended the part’s service life. Because it can tolerate far more wear, Lufthansa Technik can keep it flying much longer and replace it quickly when needed.
The updated geometry also allows technicians to repair just the latch instead of swapping out the entire roller‑shutter assembly, which reduces costs and streamlines maintenance operations.
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