The United Kingdom’s Royal Air Force (RAF) has installed its first internally produced 3D printed component on an operational Typhoon fighter aircraft, highlighting the potential for faster repairs and reduced downtime.
Squadron Leader John Mercer, Senior Engineering Officer at No. 29 Squadron, said the part was a temporary measure, but one that showed the potential of on-site manufacturing to avoid delays when spares are unavailable. “When aircraft are grounded waiting for spare parts, we can’t afford delays. Being able to print our own temporary components means getting jets back in the air faster.”
Production Process and Potential Benefits
The installation took place last week at RAF Coningsby, where engineers fitted a temporary pylon assembly replacement — the part that connects weapons systems to the aircraft’s wing. The repair was manufactured at the Hilda B. Hewitt Centre for Innovation by personnel from No. 71 Inspection & Repair Squadron, part of the RAF Support Force, which specializes in repairing structural damage on UK fixed-wing aircraft. Engineers from No. 29 Squadron then carried out the installation.
The process began with a precision scan of the damaged component, with the resulting model shared between the original manufacturer and 71 Squadron. While the manufacturer developed a permanent replacement, 71 Squadron designed and 3D printed an interim part.
Wing Commander Gemma Lonsdale, Officer Commanding Air Wing Engineering at RAF Coningsby, emphasized the wider potential. “This technology offers enormous potential to maintain our aircraft faster than ever before. The 71 Squadron team has been exceptional — their expertise and collaboration made this milestone possible.”
Repairs with 3D Printing Across Industry
The RAF’s milestone aligns with a broader trend in aerospace toward using AM for repair applications.
In May, the Centre for Industrial Photonics (CIP) at the University of Cambridge’s Institute for Manufacturing (IfM) developed an AM technique known as Laser-Assisted Cold Spray (LACS). This method enables high-precision deposition of coatings and the repair of components, with potential applications across industries such as aerospace, energy, biomedical, and process manufacturing. By reducing material waste and energy consumption, LACS also offers a sustainable alternative to conventional manufacturing processes and may support efforts to lower industrial emissions.
Elsewhere, American aerospace manufacturer Pratt & Whitney (P&W) introduced a newly developed AM repair process designed to speed up the servicing of GTF engine components. The aerospace manufacturer expects the new method, which it says can cut process time by more than 60%, to be rolled out across its global maintenance, repair, and overhaul (MRO) network after industrialization efforts are complete. Over the next five years, the company estimates that incorporating additive repairs into its MRO operations could help recover around $100 million worth of parts.
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Featured image shows the fitting of the first 3D printed part on a Typhoon. Photo via RAF.
