The importance of additive manufacturing in the aviation industry continues to grow. The technology provider BLT has now received an order from Airbus for the series production of O-ring seals for the A320 program using 3D printing. Production will be carried out using the metal powder bed process (PBF-LB/M).
BLT uses its in-house BLT-S400 production system to manufacture the components. The system processes specially developed superalloy powders that meet the stringent requirements of the aviation industry. The technical specifications of the sealing rings were defined in close cooperation with Airbus.
BLT and Airbus have been working together since 2018, when the company received certification for the additive manufacturing of A330 components. Since then, BLT has been able to continuously expand its expertise in the series production of complex aircraft components.
“The consistent quality and reliability of our supply chain were decisive factors for the expansion of the cooperation,” explains Dr. Xue, CEO of BLT, during the signing of the contract at the 15th China International Aviation and Aerospace Exhibition in Zhuhai.
The integration of additively manufactured components in the aviation industry is progressing steadily. The ability to realize complex geometries while simultaneously reducing weight makes the technology particularly interesting for aircraft manufacturers. Thanks to the successful qualification of further components, 3D printing is increasingly establishing itself as a standard manufacturing process in the aviation industry.
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