The Royal Air Force (RAF), the aerial warfare force of the United Kingdom, tasked with defending UK airspace, recently achieved an important milestone in its AM journey: the manufacture of a 3D printed part and its installation onto a Typhoon fighter jet that is in service.
For the record, RAF has been using additive manufacturing (AM) for over a decade. Along with manufacturing, the company is currently exploring how to tap into the sustainability benefits of AM.
The component manufactured in-house is a temporary replacement part for the pylon assembly that connects weapons systems to the aircraft’s wing. Its completion via AM is another confirmation that AM could enable faster aircraft repairs and reduced downtime.
The repair
The repair was manufactured at the Hilda B. Hewitt Centre for Innovation, by specialists from No 71 Inspection & Repair Squadron and then installed by 29 Sqn engineers. The centre, which is equipped with 3D printing and scanning equipment, represents the RAF’s bold move into advanced manufacturing.
Engineers precision-scanned the damaged component and shared the data with both the original manufacturer and 71 Squadron. While the manufacturer developed a permanent replacement, 71 Squadron designed and printed an intermediate solution.
Squadron Leader John Mercer, Senior Engineering Officer at No 29 Squadron, explained: “This isn’t intended as a permanent fix, but it shows where we’re heading. When aircraft are grounded waiting for spare parts, we can’t afford delays. Being able to print our own temporary components means getting jets back in the air faster.”
All images’ credit: RAF – Remember, you can post free-of-charge job opportunities in the AM Industry on 3D ADEPT Media or look for a job via our job board. Make sure to follow us on our social networks and subscribe to our weekly newsletter: Facebook, Twitter, LinkedIn & Instagram! If you want to be featured in the next issue of our digital magazine or if you hear a story that needs to be heard, make sure to send it to contact@3dadept.com.
