Intelligent CIO Middle East Issue 27 | Page 93

/////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////// INTELLIGENT VERTICAL: AVIATION EMIRATES INITIATES 3D PRINTING OF CABIN PARTS USING SELECTIVE LASER SINTERING E mirates has announced that it has used 3D printing technology to manufacture components for its aircraft cabins. The airline has reached a significant milestone in innovation by using Selective Laser Sintering, a new and innovative 3D printing technique to produce video monitor shrouds. One of the other recent achievements has been the 3D printing, certification and installation of aircraft cabin air vent grills for on-board trials. Emirates has worked with 3D Systems, a US based 3D printing equipment and material manufacturer and services provider, and with UUDS, a European aviation Engineering and Certification Office and Services Provider based in France, to successfully print the first batch of 3D printed video monitor shrouds www.intelligentcio.com using 3D Systems’ Selective Laser Sintering technology platform. This technology uses lasers to bind together powdered plastic into the required shape defined by a 3D model and is different from the Fusion Deposition Modelling technique normally used for printing aircraft 3D parts. The material used to print Emirates’ Video Monitor Shrouds is a new thermoplastic developed by 3D Systems, Duraform ProX FR1200, with excellent flammability resistance properties and surface quality suitable for commercial aerospace business applications. One of the major advantages of using the Selective Laser Sintering technique is the “ THE VIDEO MONITOR SHROUDS WILL BE INSTALLED ON SELECT AIRCRAFT IN THE EMIRATES FLEET. INTELLIGENTCIO 93