Airplane Manufacturer Leverages F900 3D printer with Aircraft Interiors Solution to Produce Hundreds of Parts for new Supersonic Demonstrator
Aircraft MINNEAPOLIS & REHOVOT, Israel — (BUSINESS WIRE) — Stratasys (NASDAQ: SSYS) today announced it is deepening its partnership with Boom Supersonic – the Colorado-based company building history’s fastest supersonic airliner. In signing a seven-year agreement extension, the companies are further accelerating adoption of additive manufacturing for 3D-printed flight hardware.
Expanding 3D printing beyond rapid prototyping, Boom Supersonic is utilizing the Stratasys® F900® 3D Printer with the Aircraft Interiors Solution (AIS) package to create hundreds of 3D printed parts for XB-1, the company’s supersonic demonstrator aircraft. The AIS package is aimed at helping improve mechanical properties and enables repeatable development of aircraft production parts.
“By being able to print critical parts and components on site rather than purchasing them from a supplier, we can create custom parts, increase our speed from engineering to manufacturing, and focus on building the aircraft and fulfilling our vision,” said Mike Jagemann, Head of XB-1 Production at Boom. “During the first three years of our partnership, we 3D printed more than 200 parts for tooling, prototypes and test benches using Stratasys’ F370 and Fortus 450mc 3D printers, and have saved hundreds of hours of work time, enabling rapid iteration of design cycles. Stratasys’ standing as a global leader in 3D printed aerospace applications made them an ideal partner for Boom, and we’re excited to extend this partnership long-term.”
The new agreement is designed to integrate FDM® 3D printing technology into flight part production for XB-1, and eventually for Overture – the revolutionary Mach-2.2 commercial airliner. Providing a faster, more streamlined approach to qualify additively manufactured parts for aircraft installation, Stratasys AIS package will be instrumental to the aircraft expected to fly more than two times the speed of sound, or in excess of 1,500 miles per hour (2,400 km/h).
“The team at Boom is doing something that’s never been achieved – successful mainstream supersonic airline travel. But development of aircraft that can safely and efficiently travel at Mach 2.2 requires a new approach to manufacturing processes,” said Rich Garrity, President Americas, Stratasys. “Working together, our teams have put the technology to work for efficient, reliable and repeatable prototypes, tooling and jigs and fixtures. Now, we’re ready to go further – for strong, durable, lightweight production-grade aircraft parts.”
The Stratasys F900 3D Printer has the highest repeatability and largest build size of any FDM system. The solution is ideally suited to handle complex production manufacturing needs, utilizing a wide range of thermoplastics with advanced mechanical properties for parts that can endure extreme heat, caustic chemicals, and high-impact applications. The AIS package offers aerospace manufacturers the documentation and training necessary to guide the complex qualification process. The end result is flight-ready parts based on additive manufacturing.
XB-1 is expected to be rolled out later this year and flown supersonically in 2020. Overture is in the development stage with consumer travel expected to commence in the mid-2020s.
To learn more about Stratasys’ advanced solutions for the aerospace industry, visit Hall 4, Stand D192. To learn more about Boom, visit Chalet Row C, #24, at the International Paris Air Show, 2019, June 17th – 23rd, Paris, France.
Boom Supersonic is redefining what it means to fly by building Overture, history’s fastest commercial airliner. Boom’s vision is to bring families, businesses, and cultures closer together through supersonic travel and make the world dramatically more accessible. The company is backed by world-class investors and has 30 aircraft on pre-order from Japan Airlines and Virgin Group. Founded in 2014, Boom has assembled a world-class team of over 130 full-time employees who have made contributions to 40 air and spacecraft. For more information, please visit https://boomsupersonic.com.
Stratasys is a global leader in additive manufacturing or 3D printing technology and is the manufacturer of FDM® and PolyJet™ 3D printers. The company’s technologies are used to create prototypes, manufacturing tools, and production parts for industries, including aerospace, automotive, healthcare, consumer products and education. For 30 years, Stratasys products have helped manufacturers reduce product-development time, cost, and time-to-market, as well as reduce or eliminate tooling costs and improve product quality. The Stratasys 3D printing ecosystem of solutions and expertise includes 3D printers, materials, software, expert services, and on-demand parts production. Online at: www.stratasys.com, http://blog.stratasys.com and LinkedIn.
Stratasys, FDM, PolyJet, F900, Fortus 450mc, and F370 are trademarks of Stratasys Ltd. and/or its affiliates. All other trademarks are the property of their respective owners, and Stratasys assumes no responsibility with regard to the selection, performance, or use of these non-Stratasys products.
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Source: Stratasys
