Additive manufacturing (AM), or 3D printing, is a tool-less process for building up a part of complex geometry with minimal material waste. An EU initiative introduced innovative applications of metal AM for repair of defective elements and for on-demand production of spare parts.
AM, which sequentially adds layers of material according to specifications in a computer-aided design file, has progressed tremendously since its inception for small batches of custom-designed parts. The EU-funded REPAIR (Future repair and maintenance for aerospace industry) project set out to reduce the maintenance, repair and overhaul (MRO) costs in the aerospace industry through AM with less waste and a shorter lead time.
Further details: Applications of 3D printing to help reducing maintenance, repair and overhaul costs for the air transport sector