First metallic 3D printed part installed on F-22

First metallic 3D printed part installed on F-22

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A metallic 3D-printed part has been installed on an operational F-22 Raptor for the first time, which the Air Force hopes will lower costs and reduce maintenance time. The new titanium part for the cockpit, which was installed by the 574th Aircraft Maintenance Squadron at Hill Air Force Base in Utah on Wednesday, replaces conventional aluminum ones, the Air Force said in a news release. The 3D printed part, a secondary bracket component, enabled Air Force technicians speed up the replacement of a damaged part on the aircraft.

Manufactured by Lockheed Martin and Boeing, the F-22 Raptor is a single-seat, twin-engine, all-weather stealth tactical fighter aircraft utilized by the U.S. Air Force. The aircraft, which saw its first flight in 1997, went out of production in 2011 for various reasons, though operational units are still in use. This situation has inevitably come with certain challenges, especially when it comes to repairing or replacing parts in the F-22. 3D printing, as it turns out, has provided a viable solution by offering on-demand production capabilities.

First metallic 3D printed part installed on F-22

First metallic 3D printed part installed on F-22


The Air Force noted 3D printing allows for replacement parts on short notice without minimum order quantities. The printed bracket, which won’t corrode, is made from a titanium powder. In the fusion process, a laser builds the part layer by layer. New brackets, which replace a corrosion-prone aluminum component in the kick panel assembly of the cockpit, can now be ordered and delivered to the depot in as soon as three days. After success in service and maintenance inspection, the part will be installed on all F-22 aircraft during maintenance.

At least five more metallic 3D printed parts are planned for validation on the F-22. In 2017, a U.S. Marine Corps infantry battalion in Camp Lejuene, N.C., became the first unit in the Corps to possess a 3D printer, using it to print various pieces of equipment. The U.S. Marine Corps also tested small 3D-printed drones developed by the Army Research Laboratory. Huntington Ingalls Industries also plans to install the first certified 3D-printed metal part on an aircraft carrier a prototype piping assembly on the USS Harry S. Truman this year.

First metallic 3D printed part installed on F-22

First metallic 3D printed part installed on F-22

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ThyssenKrupp Marine Systems Naval Surface Vessels

ThyssenKrupp Marine Systems Naval Surface Vessels

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ThyssenKrupp Marine Systems of Germany (often abbreviated TKMS) is a group and holding company of providers of naval vessels, surface ships and submarines. It was founded when large industrial conglomerate ThyssenKrupp acquired Howaldtswerke-Deutsche Werft on January 5, 2005. ThyssenKrupp Marine Systems is one of the leading system providers for non-nuclear submarines and high-end naval vessels. Since the merger of Howaldtswerke-Deutsche Werft (HDW) and Blohm+Voss Naval in January 2013 and acquisition of Atlas Elektronik in April 2017, our Marine Systems brand stands for more than 175 years of cutting-edge technology and engineering expertise made in Germany.

ThyssenKrupp Marine Systems

ThyssenKrupp Marine Systems Naval Vessels


Since 1982, ThyssenKrupp Marine Systems have engineered a stable of MEKO® frigates and corvettes that form the fleet workhorses of their 13 user navies, including 7 NATO and ANZUS navies. All told 78 ships in 11 classes and 7 sub-classes supplied and building today. This proud pedigree stands on its own, but does not stand still. Above all, MEKO® technology stands for adaptability, allowing MEKO® customer navies the flexibility to prioritize the initial capabilities of their ships to budget, but also to quickly and easily re-configure and upgrade them to meet operational and logistic needs across their 35-year-plus service lives.
ThyssenKrupp Marine Systems Corvette Class 130

ThyssenKrupp Marine Systems Corvette Class 130


Built for the main tasks of surface surveillance, reconnaissance, surface target engagement, humanitarian missions, countering asymmetric threats, and operating mainly in the littorals, this corvette platform features an X-shaped, RCS-reducing hull with significant IR suppression measures with no funnels and hot spots, and sea-water injection in horizontal exhaust ducts complemented by a sophisticated Integrated Monitoring and Control System (IMCS) with over 7,000 measuring points. These corvettes have spacious landing decks for a 12-ton helicopter and hangars for two drones (UAVs). Together with state-of-the-art integrated onboard networks (combat management system, communication and navigation qualifying the vessel for joint operations) the corvettes have incorporated major MEKO® design principles and have proved a valuable asset for the German Navy.
ThyssenKrupp Marine Systems Frigate Class 124

ThyssenKrupp Marine Systems Frigate Class 124


Combining toughness and fighting prowess the Frigate Class 124 gives the German Navy long-range air defense capabilities and the potential for theater ballistic missile defense – both in home waters and in support of allied operations worldwide. These powerful fighting ships are prime examples of the Marine Systems design philosophy and technology: enhanced survivability through high levels of stealth, armored box girders, double skin bulkheads, separated independent departments and damage control areas, superb sea keeping, innovative CODAG (COmbined Diesel And Gas turbine) propulsion, and outstanding helicopter operability. This ship’s great versatility means it is ideally suited to the full range of frigate operations worldwide.
source https://www.thyssenkrupp-marinesystems.com