Aerospace 3D printing at Airbus

I have a pleasure to recall that, Airbus has been engaged in the development of parts and components using 3D printing technology. It has partnered with many technology providers to acquire the necessary technologies required for 3D printing. 

 

In November 2015, the company initiated the first flight test of a 3D printed aircraft model, under the project Testing High-tech Objectives in Reality (THOR), in Stade, Germany. 

Airbus had used a 46-pound mini aircraft model powered by 1.5 kW electrically driven propellers. Ninety percent of the structural components of the mini aircraft were produced from plastic polymer powder using 3D printed technology. 

Apart from this, Airbus has also used 3D printed parts for some of its aircraft models like A350 XWB, a long-haul twin engine aircraft.