The aerospace and defense industry was one of the first to adopt additive technology – thanks to the many applications of AM, the sector become one of the market’s biggest player, contributing $3.58bn in 2020.
With the growing demand for lightweight parts for aircraft engines, 3D printing provides many benefits for the aerospace industry, such as the possibility to print in a wide variety of metal powders to create hollow and complex designs. Thanks to these innovations, AM is transforming aerospace manufacturing by reducing weight and removing design constraints, therefore cutting costs, carbon emissions and development times. Given these benefits, many are wondering if it could also provide a solution to obsolescence.