Materialise Achieves EN 9100 Certification for Metal 3D Printing in Aerospace

Materialise has received EN 9100 certification for its metal 3D printing processes in the aerospace sector. This industry-specific variant of ISO 9001 ensures that the company’s quality management system meets standards for product quality, process control, regulatory compliance, and continuous improvement. Previously, Materialise had already obtained EN 9100 certification for its polymer 3D printing processes in this field and has produced over 500,000 flight-ready components for original equipment manufacturers (OEMs), suppliers, and maintenance, repair, and overhaul (MRO) companies.

With this new certification, Materialise expands its offerings to include metal components, creating new opportunities for design and supply chain optimization across the aerospace industry. Metal 3D printing is particularly advantageous for low-criticality parts, offering an economical alternative to traditional manufacturing methods.

Erik de Zeeuw, Market Manager for Aerospace at Materialise, commented: “Low-criticality parts that need to be light, strong, and durable, such as seat bezels, housings, interior trims, or ducts, are particularly strong candidates. They often need to be repaired or replaced, but in small quantities. These are requirements that align perfectly with key benefits of metal 3D printing, including the ability to have digital ‘on-demand’ stock for faster, more reliable sourcing, and cost-efficient production of small series parts.”

Beyond its flexibility, additive manufacturing offers economic advantages over conventional production, especially for low-volume manufacturing. Since no tooling costs are required, small production runs become far more cost-efficient. Additionally, storage and waste costs are reduced, as components can be printed on demand.

 Erik de Zeeuw said: “Paying only for parts used, and with a lower TCO, is clearly beneficial. As is avoiding any potential supply chain disruptions that could delay part availability, which in turn can end up grounding flights for long periods of time. What’s more, it becomes less cost-prohibitive to review and adapt parts for continuous improvement.”

Erik de Zeeuw added: “The quality and process control system we have in place simplifies the digital thread necessary for qualifying 3D-printed metal parts. And that’s something we are incredibly excited about.

By achieving EN 9100 certification, Materialise solidifies its position as a key additive manufacturing provider in the aerospace industry. In addition to producing flight-ready parts, the company also supports organizations in developing new additive manufacturing applications in line with industry standards. The company’s quality assurance processes further facilitate certification compliance for new 3D-printed metal components.

Materialise views this certification as a significant step toward unlocking new opportunities in metal 3D printing for aerospace applications in collaboration with industry partners.

“We are ready to talk to and work with our extensive network of partners in space and aviation to identify, produce, and develop the perfect applications for metal AM. Together, we will definitely see a whole raft of new opportunities quite literally take flight.”