2014 is seeing the aerospace industry kick its adoption of 3D printing into high gear, first with the project announcements made by America Makes and now with Canada’s Consortium for Research and Innovation in Aerospace in Quebec (CRIAQ) 100th project, titled Additive Manufacturing Technologies for Aerospace Components. With industrial 3D printing still falling short of the high standards of aerospace manufacturers, research organizations are pushing to make the process of metal 3D printing more reliable and predictable. The Canadian consortium will endeavor to research further the design, transformation and properties of high-strength aluminium alloys for the 3D printing of aerospace components.
The Additive Manufacturing Technologies for Aerospace Components project will unite 13 partners, eight industrial partners, lead by large OEMs and including intermediate member SMEs, in addition to four research institutes. Together, the organizations will integrate 3D printing into the mainstream manufacturing supply chain with the direct production of aerospace parts. President and CEO of CRIAQ, Clément Fortin, explains that, “Training through research, technological development and basic knowledge are among CRIAQ’s priorities. The project will allow the training of 10 students (six PhDs, one MSc, one post-doc, two interns, and one research associate) who will become highly qualified personnel to serve our industry and our society.”
In some ways, CRIAQ’s latest project seems to mirror the US’s own America Makes program, perhaps on a smaller and more focused scale. With partners stretching into Saskatchewan and Ontario, the project is geared at creating a national aerospace research and collaboration network. Unlike America Makes, the CRIAQ endeavor is focused specifically on aerospace. If the technology, however, is good enough for aerospace, it may be ready for other industries as well.
