The analysis identifies and quantifies the opportunities for 3D printing (3DP) in the commercial and general aviation industries. It covers jetliners, helicopters, and smaller civilian aircraft and analyzes 3DP’s influence on aerospace manufacturing–and vice versa.

The commercial aerospace industry is on the cusp of a manufacturing revolution utilizing metal and polymer 3DP technologies to produce aircraft engine components and a variety of structural and cabin components.

The number of projects in pre-production and flight testing for aircraft engine manufacturing has grown significantly in just twelve months. GE is no longer the only supplier ramping up for 3DP production. Pratt & Whitney, MTU, Airbus, and others are all integrating final parts into aircraft in volumes that range from hundreds, to thousands, and beyond.

Commercial aerospace is the single best example of advancing 3DP as a Additive manufacturing technology rather than just a rapid prototyping tool. 3D printing as a manufacturing technology in aerospace is manifesting itself in several areas, including spare parts manufacturing, experimental flight test parts, remanufacture and repair of existing craft, and on-demand part production of serial components. These represent four of the eight domains of 3D printing utilized in the commercial aerospace industry as identified in this report.

The analysis is on the most in-depth market data and forecasts available for 3DP in commercial aerospace market. It’s now standard 3DP market models to the study of aerospace, to provide credible 10-year forecasts on various 3DP markets in commercial aerospace.

Key Vendors

• 3D Systems
• Arcam
• EOS
• ExOne
• Stratasys

Other Prominent Vendors

• ATI
• Carpenter Technology
• Concept laser
• CRP Technology
• Optomec
• Proto Labs
• Renishaw
• SLM Solutions
• Voxeljet