Yesterday, Stratasys announced that its Fortus 900mc Aircraft Interiors (AI) Certification Solution had been adopted by parts supplier Western Tool & Mold to produce aircraft cabin components. The components will meet stringent FAA and EASA certification requirements.
Hong Kong-based Western Tool & Mold (WTM) serves the aerospace interiors market where airlines demand quick turnaround of replacement parts to improve supply chain efficiency, but are often challenged due to the unique geometries of individual components.
The Fortus 900mc Aircraft Interiors Certification Solution consists of ULTEM 9085 resin, which is a strong, lightweight thermoplastic meeting aerospace flame, smoke and toxicity (FST) regulations (FAR 25.863), and a new edition of the Fortus 900mc Production 3D Printer with specialized hardware and software designed to deliver highly repeatable mechanical properties.
Western Tool & Mold is now using the technology to 3D print aircraft cabin parts with complex geometries and low quantity demand such as first-class overhead bin lockers and lavatory components.
By 3D printing these parts directly from CAD designs, bypassing metal manufacturing processes, WTM’s customers can test parts early in the design process and save hundreds of thousands of dollars in manufacturing costs.
