European multinational aerospace corporation Airbus is adopting wire‑Directed Energy Deposition (w‑DED), a 3D printing technique, to manufacture large titanium components for its aircraft. Unlike other 3D printing technologies, w‑DED is practical for producing structural parts of substantial size because it builds components layer by layer from titanium wire, minimizing material waste, shortening production time, and allowing engineers to create complex, near net‑shape parts without traditional forging or extensive machining.
How w‑DED Works
Wire‑DED uses a multi-axis robotic arm to melt titanium wire with energy sources such as lasers, plasma, or electron beams, depositing material layer by layer to form a “blank” that closely resembles the final component. Unlike powder-bed systems, which are limited to small parts and slower deposition rates, w‑DED can produce structural components up to seven meters long at several kilograms per hour. This combination of scale and speed makes it viable for industrial-scale production of large airframe parts while minimizing titanium waste.
Traditional titanium forging generates substantial material waste, with up to 95% of the purchased metal recycled rather than incorporated into the final part. By producing components close to their final shape, w‑DED significantly reduces this inefficiency.
The process also accelerates development: while conventional forging requires years and costly tooling, w‑DED parts can be produced in weeks directly from digital designs. Airbus engineers note that the technology “will be of immediate benefit to the successful and timely construction of the first development aircraft, especially while the final detailed component designs are being tweaked and optimised, right up to the point when the first aircraft starts to take physical shape.”
While w‑DED shows significant potential for large titanium structures, components still require post‑machining to achieve final tolerances, and full certification for critical airframe parts remains in progress. These factors position the technology as a practical, yet currently constrained, production method compared to other methods.
Current Applications and Outlook
Airbus has begun integrating w‑DED parts into the A350’s Cargo Door Surround area. These plasma‑printed components were ultrasonically inspected, machined, and installed in production aircraft. Functionally and geometrically identical to forged parts, they provide immediate cost savings and reduced lead times.
Looking ahead, Airbus plans to expand w‑DED to critical applications, including wings and landing gear. Airbus and its partners are testing multiple energy sources, including plasma, arc welding, electron, and laser beams, and evaluating in-house versus outsourced production.
Industry Adoption of Wire‑DED
Airbus’s adoption of wire-fed Directed Energy Deposition reflects the technology’s proven ability to produce large, high-performance metal components efficiently. While powder-bed systems remain well-suited for smaller, detailed parts, wire-fed DED is now being applied where size, production speed, and material efficiency are critical.
Spirit AeroSystems partnered with Norsk Titanium to produce titanium parts for Boeing aircraft using Rapid Plasma Deposition (RPD), a wire-fed DED variant, demonstrating the technology’s effectiveness for large-scale aerospace applications. Meltio applied wire-laser DED systems across aerospace, defense, and automotive sectors in the first half of 2025 to reduce lead times, cut material waste, and produce reliable metal parts on demand. Additionally, the NMIS-led hybrid DED development project, involving Airbus and Safran Landing Systems, focuses on refining DED methods to overcome cost and lead-time constraints . These examples confirm that wire-fed DED is already a practical and reliable method for producing large, high-value components, supporting Airbus’s implementation of the technology for structural titanium parts.
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Featured image shows w‑DED parts into the A350’s Cargo Door Surround area. Photo via Airbus.
