Lufthansa Technik opens center for 3D printing

3D Printing for Commercial Aviation

Lufthansa Technik AG has opened a center for additive manufacturing. The aim is to center and expand the company’s competencies and experience.

Dr. Anne Köster will head the center: “The new Additive Manufacturing Center is the hub where all the experience and expertise that Lufthansa Technik has already acquired with additive manufacturing will be brought together and further expanded. The aim is to increase the maturity of the technologies and to develop new products that are suitable for production” says Köster.

Lufthansa cooperates with industrial partners

One challenge that needs to be mastered is the strict regulations in commercial aviation. Lufthansa is therefore working with experts in additive manufacturing from industry. The aim is to introduce 3D printing technology into commercial aviation. One partner is the Oerlikon technology group. Together, the two companies want to improve the repeatability of processes and promote the industrialization of additive manufacturing.

The airline also intends to make its experience available to other industrial organisations.

3D printing in the aerospace industry

So-called additive manufacturing is increasingly gaining a foothold in industry. Advantages are the high design freedom of parts as well as the fast production of components – a real added value, especially for prototypes or individual pieces.

The weight of components is particularly important in the manufacture of aircraft parts. 3D printing makes them very lightweight, thus making additive manufacturing particularly interesting for the aerospace industry.