The next generation of technology in the military, such as high-powered radar jamming systems and hypersonic weapons, requires a large amount of processing power. As a result, processors in this technology contain many heat-generating components. Design engineers must find ways to reliably transfer and dissipate heat from these components to ensure the overall systems continue to operate effectively. In commercial applications, thermal management failure can mean a faulty smartphone. In the military, it can mean mission failure and even the loss of life.

Thermal management in these cutting-edge systems is multifaceted. It includes hardware such as heat sinks and liquid cooling devices – but also thermal interface materials (TIMs). Thermal interface materials transfer heat from hot components, such as transistors in chip packages, to
cooling hardware. They come in different forms, including pads, putties, phase-change materials, thermal greases, and thermally conductive insulator materials. For the military, reliability is the watchword. To maximize reliability, TIMs need three characteristics:

1. Wide operating temperature range: The environments in the processors that drive the military’s most advanced technology are harsh and feature extreme and frequent temperature spikes and dips. TIMs therefore must operate reliably in an environment where temperatures can hit 300 degrees Fahrenheit and drop in short order to -50degrees Fahrenheit. This temperature cycling can take a toll on TIMs. Engineers therefore require TIMs designed to withstand these regular temperature fluctuations over a long period of time.
2. Durability to withstand harsh substances: TIMs in military applications may rest near harsh liquids or vapors (jet fuel, missile fuel, deicing fluid) that can eat away at the silicone base of these materials. Engineers need to therefore design in a way that shields TIMs and their edges from exposure to harmful substances while also looking to TIM manufacturers to continue exploring the use of more durable materials.
3. Resistance to deterioration: Outgassing in TIMs can hinder the performance of optical lenses, and NASA has stringent outgassing requirements. Manufacturers can use a post-cure process to minimize outgassing. Further, if silicone breaks down and “bleeds,” it can hinder the adhesiveness of surrounding surfaces. Design engineers must pay close attention to the formulation of materials within a TIM, which determines its level of resistance to these forms of deterioration.

Materials science creativity is the key to ensuring TIMs meet the evolving needs of military and aerospace design engineers. At Laird, we are constantly adjusting the material makeup of TIMs to enhance temperature stability and prevent outgassing and bleed from the interface. We also tap robust thermal modeling and testing capabilities to measure the effectiveness of TIMs and devise custom solutions for military applications.

To meet the military’s stringent requirements and enable effective thermal management in new, advanced systems, design engineers also need to adopt a system-level design approach. This approach allows engineers to account for all possible thermal and electromagnetic challenges and address them together, early in the design process. It’s well past time to move away from the model of siloed EMI and thermal teams addressing these issues discretely. Signal and heat issues are increasingly intertwined, and space within processors is limited. Therefore, design engineers need to come together to devise creative and space-saving solutions to these increasingly complex challenges.

Though every industry seeks innovation, the push toward the cutting edge is amplified within the U.S. military. After all, the military is in a constant race for supremacy against adversaries around the world – and the stakes are high. Therefore, design engineers are always working to push the boundaries of performance in military technology. But as warfighting capabilities advance, thermal management challenges grow. Military design engineers therefore need to tap into the latest materials science innovations and improve their internal design processes. Reliable thermal management is one piece of the continued advancement of electronics systems in the military – but it’s a crucial one. And TIMs play an essential role in the effort to manage heat in next-gen military technology. To ensure the U.S. military stays a step ahead of its enemies, the industry needs continual improvements in the makeup and capabilities of TIMs.

Learn more about Laird Performance Materials from TTI, Inc.

Sponsored Content by Laird Performance Materials and TTI, Inc.

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Wouldn’t it be great if there was a way to solve both problems at once?

That’s the thinking behind the UK’s Tornado 2 Tempest project, an initiative launched by the Ministry of Defence (MOD) that will see components from retired Tornado fighter jets ground down and 3D printed into new components for Tempest fighter jets. The MOD is joined in this project by Rolls-Royce and Additive Manufacturing Solutions (AMS), a UK-based additive manufacturing (AM) service provider.

AMS has already reported success in using this method to produce 3D printed nose cones and fan blades for the Rolls-Royce Orpheus engine, both of which passed suitability and safety checks on a test engine.

“This project turned our proposed solutions into a reality, and we have been very humbled and grateful to the MOD and Rolls Royce, for allowing us to showcase our capability to deliver game-changing circular economy processes and parts in Defence,” said Rob Higham, director and CEO of AMS in a press release from the company.

One might wonder whether 3D printing is strictly necessary for such a project, given that the old components could conceivably be melted down, reforged and machined using more traditional manufacturing techniques. However, as pointed out by Thomas Powell in a release from Rolls-Royce:

“Not only can this solution reduce the costs and burden of sourcing critical and high-value metals, but it can also produce components that are lighter, strong and longer lasting than those made through traditional forging techniques, thereby further enhancing the MOD’s overall sustainability and effectiveness.”

Powell is strategic and submarine recycling senior commercial manager for the Rolls-Royce Defence Recycling and Disposal Team. His point was further emphasized by a statement from Maria Eagle, the UK’s Minister for Defence Procurement and Industry:

“By working with key industry partners, we can deliver savings, reduce reliance on global supply chains and ensure our Armed Forces have the very best kit to keep our country safe.”

Sustainability and defense objectives rarely seem to align (What’s more unsustainable than war?) but in this case, through AM, the UK’s engineers are targeting material waste, carbon emissions and weaknesses in the supply chain with a single, surgical strike.

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Chairman and CEO Vimal Kapur on February 6 announced the plan to pursue a full separation of Automation and Aerospace Technologies, adding to the previously announced plan to spin-off Advanced Materials,

The move will result in three publicly listed companies with distinct strategies and growth drivers. The company said in a press release that the separation is intended to be completed in the second half of 2026 and will be done in a manner that is tax-free to Honeywell shareholders.

“The formation of three independent, industry-leading companies builds on the powerful foundation we have created, positioning each to pursue tailored growth strategies, and unlock significant value for shareholders and customers,” said Vimal Kapur, Chairman and CEO of Honeywell. “Our simplification of Honeywell has rapidly advanced over the past year, and we will continue to shape our portfolio to create further shareholder value. We have a rich pipeline of strategic bolt-on acquisition targets, and we plan to continue deploying capital to further enhance each business as we prepare them to become leading, independent public companies.”

Honeywell says the planned separations of automation, aerospace and advanced materials will deliver a slew of benefits, including simplified strategic focus and greater financial flexibility to pursue distinct organic growth opportunities through investment.

Honeywell Automation will create the buildings and industrial infrastructure of the future, leveraging process technology, software, and AI-enabled, autonomous solutions, said Kapur. “As a standalone company with a simplified operating structure and enhanced focus, Honeywell Automation will be better able to capitalize on the global megatrends underpinning its business, from energy security and sustainability to digitalization and artificial intelligence.”

Honeywell says it’s aerospace company will see unprecedented demand in the years ahead from commercial and defense markets, making it the right time for the business to operate as a standalone, public company. “Today’s announcement is the culmination of more than a century of innovation and investment in leading technologies from Honeywell Aerospace that have revolutionized the aviation industry several times over. This next step will further enable the business to continue to lead the future of aviation.”

Here’s a look at how each of the three new companies will operate:

Honeywell Automation: Positioned for the industrial world’s transition from automation to autonomy, with a comprehensive portfolio of technologies, solutions, and software to drive customers’ productivity. Honeywell Automation will maintain its global scale, with 2024 revenue of $18 billion. Honeywell Automation will connect assets, people and processes to push digital transformation.

Honeywell Aerospace: Its technology and solutions are used on virtually every commercial and defense aircraft platform worldwide and include aircraft propulsion, cockpit and navigation systems, and auxiliary power systems. With $15 billion in annual revenue in 2024 and a large, global installed base, Honeywell Aerospace will be one of the largest publicly traded, pure play aerospace suppliers.

Advanced Materials: This business will be a sustainability-focused specialty chemicals and materials company with a focus on fluorine products, electronic materials, industrial grade fibers, and healthcare packaging. With nearly $4 billion in revenue last year, Advanced Materials offers leading technologies with premier brands, including its low global warming Solstice hydrofluoro-olefin (HFO) technology.

Honeywell says it remains on pace to exceed its commitment to deploy at least $25 billion toward high-return capital expenditures, dividends, opportunistic share purchases and accretive acquisitions through 2025. The company says it will continue its portfolio transformation efforts during the separation planning process.

Since December 2023, Honeywell has announced a number of strategic actions with about $9 billion of accretive acquisitions, including the Access Solutions business from Carrier Global, Civitanavi Systems, CAES Systems, and the liquefied natural gas (LNG) business from Air Products. Honeywell will continue with its planned divestment of its Personal Protective Equipment business, which is expected to close in the first half of 2025.

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It’s no secret that a new regime of massive tariffs is set to roil the North American economy. Indeed, what was once a continent made of economic partners now appears to have become something completely different.

White House press secretary Karoline Leavitt at a press briefing on January 31 brushed off reports that a plan to impose 25% tariffs on both Canada and Mexico has been pushed back to March 1, confirming that the tariffs will go ahead on Feb. 1.

**UPDATE: On February 3, 2025 the Trump Administration announced that it would indeed push tariff implementation back at least 30 days to March 1.**

For their part, Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau and Mexican President Claudia Sheinbaum have both promised retaliation if the tariffs go ahead.

Tariff jitters have already started to leave their mark, as BNN Bloomberg has reported that several steelmakers based in Canada and Mexico have “paused” the processing of new orders from US customers until they have a better understanding of the impact of any new tariffs.

How to measure tariff risk in a manufacturing company

No doubt, the risk created by 25% tariffs will be hard to predict for each region and any specific company. However, when considering tariff risk in a manufacturing company, there are several Key Performance Indicators (KPIs) that can help assess and manage the impact of tariffs on operations, costs and profitability.

If your digital transformation game is on point, these data will be at your fingertips. If your company is still in the early stages of digitalization, you will need to compile these from different sources. While every company will have its own specific metrics, here are some basic relevant KPIs that can help you quantify any potential tariff impacts:

Cost of goods sold (COGS)

Why it’s relevant: Tariffs can directly impact the cost of raw materials, components, and goods imported from other countries. Tracking COGS allows the company to monitor how tariff increases affect the overall cost structure and profitability.

What to track: Compare pre- and post-tariff costs for critical materials or products and assess the impact on overall COGS.

Supply chain lead time

Why it’s relevant: Tariffs may disrupt supply chains by delaying deliveries due to customs processes, new suppliers or changing routes. Monitoring lead times helps evaluate whether tariffs are increasing time-to-delivery for materials or finished goods.

What to track: Track delays in the arrival of materials and products due to tariff-related issues (such as port congestion or customs clearance) and adjust production schedules accordingly.

Inventory turnover

Why it’s relevant: Changes in tariffs can lead to shifts in inventory needs—either in response to price changes or disruptions in supply. Tracking inventory turnover can help manufacturers understand if they are holding too much or too little inventory due to tariff impacts.

What to track: Measure how tariffs influence inventory levels, and whether adjustments in inventory turnover rates are needed due to price fluctuations or supply chain delays.

Gross margin

Why it’s relevant: Gross margin is an important indicator of profitability, and tariffs can eat into profits if they increase costs without the ability to pass those costs onto customers. Monitoring gross margin provides insight into how well the business is absorbing tariff-related cost increases.

What to track: Compare margin changes before and after tariffs are applied to determine their impact on profitability.

Product cost variance

Why it’s relevant: Tariffs can alter the cost of production by raising prices for materials or components. Monitoring product cost variance helps manufacturers determine if tariffs are affecting specific products or lines disproportionately.

What to track: Measure the difference between expected and actual product costs and determine how tariff changes contribute to these discrepancies.

Supplier performance and reliability

Why it’s relevant: Tariffs can affect supplier reliability, especially if they cause delays in receiving materials or goods. Tracking supplier performance ensures that any tariff-related disruptions are identified early and can be addressed by sourcing alternatives.

What to track: Evaluate lead times, quality issues, and delivery reliability from suppliers in light of tariff changes.

Cost of imported goods

Why it’s relevant: The price of imported goods is one of the most direct effects of tariffs. Tracking this KPI allows manufacturers to assess how much more expensive their imported goods or materials have become because of tariffs.

What to track: Monitor changes in the cost of raw materials, components, or products that are imported, and assess whether this increase impacts product pricing or margins.

Customer pricing and profitability

Why it’s relevant: If tariffs increase costs, manufacturers may need to adjust their pricing strategies. This KPI helps assess whether customers are absorbing price increases or if the company is forced to take a hit on profit margins.

What to track: Track any pricing changes made in response to tariffs, and measure customer response (e.g., sales volume or customer retention) to determine if pricing adjustments are successful.

Market share

Why it’s relevant: Tariffs can affect a company’s ability to compete on price, especially in global markets. Monitoring market share helps assess whether tariff-related price increases are affecting the company’s competitiveness in the market.

What to track: Monitor changes in market share relative to competitors that may be more or less impacted by tariffs, or who have moved their production to regions with lower tariffs.

Cash flow

Why it’s relevant: Tariffs may impact cash flow due to increased costs of materials, potential price hikes, or delayed shipments. Cash flow KPIs allow businesses to ensure they have enough liquidity to manage tariff-related expenses.

What to track: Track working capital and cash flow from operations to see if tariffs are causing cash crunches, particularly if tariffs affect the timing of payments or the availability of materials.

Production efficiency and overall equipment efficiency

Why it’s relevant: Tariff-related supply chain disruptions can affect production schedules, which in turn impacts production efficiency. Monitoring this KPI helps assess whether the production line is experiencing inefficiencies due to material shortages or delays.

What to track: Track OEE metrics, including availability, performance, and quality, to see if tariff impacts are affecting production rates or quality.

Risk exposure by country or region

Why it’s relevant: Tariffs are often country- or region-specific, and some manufacturers may rely heavily on suppliers from regions that are subject to high tariffs. Monitoring this KPI helps companies assess their exposure to specific trade regions and diversify their supply chains accordingly.

What to track: Track the percentage of materials or components sourced from countries or regions that are likely to face tariffs and adjust sourcing strategies if needed.

Regulatory compliance and tariff changes

Why it’s relevant: Keeping track of changes in tariff rates and compliance requirements is essential for avoiding penalties and ensuring smooth operations. This KPI helps manufacturers stay on top of tariff updates and implement necessary changes in business practices.

What to track: Measure how quickly the company can adjust to regulatory and tariff changes, and track compliance with new tariff rules to avoid fines or legal issues.

By watching these KPIs and others, manufacturers can understand how tariff risk is affecting its cost structures, supply chains, cash flow, and overall competitiveness and proactively adapt, optimize their operations and make more informed decisions to mitigate tariff-related risks.

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Embry-Riddle Aeronautical University is seeking to make the most of these properties with the installation of a Lithoz CeraFab Multi 2M30 ceramic printer at its Daytona Beach Campus, the first such installation in the United States. What makes this particular 3D printer unique, according to Lithoz, is its ability to combine multiple ceramics as well as ceramic and metal in a single build.

Embry-Riddle will use the system to develop new lunar exploration systems, among other aerospace and energy applications. More specifically, the university’s researchers will use the 3D printer to develop wear-resistant coatings and functional sensors.

This news comes in a joint announcement from Embry-Riddle and Lithoz at the International Conference on Advanced Ceramics and Composites.

“The Lithoz CeraFab Multi 2M30 enables our researchers to manufacture ceramics with intricate geometric features across scales with remarkable precision,” said Seetha Raghavan, professor of aerospace engineering at Embry-Riddle, in a press release. “Its capability to print combinations of ceramics tailored for specific needs is pivotal in accelerating material design.”

Students working on the Ceramic Research Advancement Technology Project (CRATER) at Embry-Riddle have already used the CeraFab Multi as part of their efforts in NASA’s Human Lander Challenge (HulC). Using the Lithoz 3D printer, the team developed bio-inspired ceramic patterns designed to mitigate dust adhesion on the lunar surface. These we modeled after hydrophobic surfaces which appear in nature, such as lotus leaves.

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Here’s a breakdown of key tools and software commonly used for digital prototyping:

3D CAD (Computer-Aided Design):

These tools allow designers and engineers to create detailed digital models of products. They support both 2D and 3D modeling and are used to design everything from simple parts to complex assemblies. Parametric and direct modeling capabilities allow for flexibility in making changes and iterations during the design process.

Simulation and Analysis:

Simulation enables users to test how a design will behave in real-world conditions without creating physical prototypes. They use mathematical models to simulate physical properties such as stress, thermal behavior, fluid dynamics, and vibration. They help engineers predict potential performance issues and optimize designs before production.

Visualization/Rendering:

Used for creating and visualizing digital models with a focus on aesthetics and functionality, these tools are important in the early design phase. They help visualize how a product will look and function in its environment, making them useful for concept development, visualization, and basic design adjustments.

Virtual Reality (VR) and Augmented Reality (AR):

Part of the hype cycle five years ago, VR and AR have quietly become a big part of interacting with digital prototypes in immersive, 3D environments. VR tools simulate a fully virtual model, whereas AR tools overlay digital models onto the physical world. Both are used to visualize how prototypes will look and behave in real-world settings, providing an intuitive way to review designs and test user interactions.

Product Lifecycle Management (PLM):

PLM tools manage a product’s entire lifecycle—from initial design to end-of-life. They integrate various design, simulation, and testing stages to allow teams to collaborate efficiently, track revisions, and maintain up-to-date data across all stages of the product development process.

Rapid Prototyping and 3D Printing:

These tools convert 3D models into instructions for additive manufacturing (such as 3D printing), enabling the creation of physical prototypes quickly and cost-effectively. They are commonly used to test form, fit, and function of designs before committing to full-scale production.

Digital Twin Platforms:

A digital twin is a virtual representation of a physical product, system, or process. These platforms collect data from sensors and simulations to provide a real-time, dynamic view of the product’s performance. They are used to monitor the performance of prototypes, track how they evolve over time, and optimize their operations in real-world conditions.

Generative Design:

Artificial intelligence (AI) and cloud computing are combining to automatically generate optimized design solutions based on specific input parameters and constraints (such as weight, material, strength, and cost). They create myriad design options to help designers explore innovative, efficient solutions that might not be immediately obvious in traditional design processes.

Electronic Design Automation (EDA):

These tools are used to design and prototype electronic circuits and printed circuit boards (PCBs). They help engineers create, simulate, and test electronic components and systems in the digital space, ensuring that the circuits are functionally correct before physical assembly. They also help manage the layout and routing of components for optimal electrical performance.

Each tool plays a role in different stages of the digital prototyping process, whether you’re creating a 3D model, simulating real-world conditions, testing functionality, or preparing for physical production. For manufacturing engineers and managers, selecting the right set of tools depends on the specific needs of the product being developed, such as complexity, cost, and how closely the prototype needs to mirror the final product. Tools like SolidWorks, ANSYS, Fusion 360, and Teamcenter are often popular in industrial environments where both design and testing are crucial.

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The cutting edge of this research is nanomaterials, which exploit the fact that metallic structures are stronger at smaller scales. Engineers at the University of Toronto and the Korea Advanced Institute of Science and Technology (KAIST) have taken advantage of this effect, using machine learning to design nano-architected materials that are as strong as steel and as light as Styrofoam.

“[T]he standard lattice shapes and geometries used tend to have sharp intersections and corners, which leads to the problem of stress concentrations,” explained Peter Serles, first author of the published research, in a press release. “This results in early local failure and breakage of the materials, limiting their overall potential. As I thought about this challenge, I realized that it is a perfect problem for machine learning to tackle.”  

To that end, the KAIST team employed a multi-objective Bayesian optimization machine learning algorithm, which learned from simulated geometries to predict the best possible geometries for enhancing stress distribution and improving the strength-to-weight ratio of nano-architected designs.

Based on the algorithm’s predictions, Serles used a two-photon polymerization (2PP) 3D printer to create prototypes for experimental validation. The optimized nanolattice structure more than doubled the strength of existing designs, withstanding a stress of 2.03 megapascals for every cubic metre per kilogram of its density – roughly five times higher than titanium.

Those familiar with 2PP know that its applications tend toward the extremely small, particularly microneedles, microfluidics and microoptics. Given that, one might wonder about the viability of 2PP for relatively larger aerospace applications. However, Serles is confident we can expect this technology to scale rapidly in the near future.

“With the nanometer-scale laser precision that is needed to produce these high performance nanolattices, it’s common for print times to be hours just to produce a few hundred micrometers of these materials,” he told engineering.com. “But, commercial 2PP nano-3D printing is a brand new technology, only about 15 years old, and printing rates have increased approximately 100-1000x every three years in that time.”

“With this new work, we used one of these new ultra-highspeed versions of 2PP which prints about 1000x faster than normal and were excited to make the 18.75 million lattices with millimetre geometries, as it represents a huge step towards commercial feasibility. Following the 100-1000x scaling laws, it’s likely that we’ll see the first functional parts like ultralight bolts and nuts well before 2030.”

The research is published in Advanced Materials.

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Faster Product Development Cycle

Digital prototyping allows engineers to create virtual prototypes of products, which can be tested, analyzed, and iterated upon quickly. This leads to faster product development cycles because physical prototypes—often time-consuming and costly to build—are replaced with digital models that can be easily modified and tested in virtual environments.

Multiple teams (design, testing or manufacturing) can work on the same digital prototype simultaneously, allowing for more collaborative efforts and quicker decision-making.

Cost Savings

Traditional prototyping involves building physical models, which can be expensive, especially if several iterations are needed. With digital prototyping, these physical prototypes are eliminated, saving on materials, labor, and production costs.

Problems in the design phase are identified and resolved early, avoiding costly rework during the manufacturing phase. This reduces the likelihood of production delays and scrap due to design flaws.

Simulation tools allow engineers to analyze the material requirements and structure before physical production, leading to optimized use of materials and reducing waste.

Enhanced Design Precision and Quality

Digital prototypes allow engineers to simulate real-world conditions, ensuring that designs are optimized for performance, strength, and durability before moving to production. This leads to higher-quality end products with fewer design flaws.

Engineers can perform complex tests (e.g., stress, thermal, fluid dynamics) on digital prototypes to see how they will behave under various conditions, which might be difficult or impractical to replicate with physical prototypes.

Quick revisions to the digital prototype enable engineers to try out multiple variations of a design, ensuring the best possible version before manufacturing.

Better Collaboration and Communication

Digital prototypes can be shared across teams and even external partners globally, enhancing communication between departments (e.g., design, engineering, manufacturing) and improving alignment on goals, timelines, and requirements.

Managers and stakeholders can easily visualize and interact with the digital prototype, facilitating more effective decision-making and feedback. This improves transparency in the design process and helps prevent misunderstandings.

Streamlined Production Processes

Digital prototypes can be designed with the manufacturing process in mind, allowing engineers to simulate how a product will be built, identify potential manufacturing challenges, and optimize the design for ease of production.

Once a digital prototype is refined, it can be used to create detailed specifications for tooling, machinery, and assembly processes. This helps ensure a smoother transition from design to actual manufacturing with fewer adjustments needed on the factory floor.

Simulating assembly processes in the digital space can help identify potential issues in assembly lines or machinery setups, minimizing costly mistakes and time-consuming adjustments during physical production.

Customization and Flexibility

With digital prototypes, engineers can quickly adapt designs to meet customer-specific needs or adjustments. This is particularly advantageous for industries that require high levels of customization or need to pivot based on market demands.

Once a product design is finalized digitally, scaling up production becomes smoother because the digital model can be used for a variety of manufacturing methods (e.g., additive manufacturing, CNC machining, injection molding).

Integration with Advanced Manufacturing Technologies

Digital prototypes integrate seamlessly with additive manufacturing (3D printing), which enables quick and cost-effective production of physical prototypes or even end-use parts, enhancing flexibility in the prototyping process.

Engineers can optimize designs specifically for additive manufacturing techniques using digital prototyping, which fits into Simulation-Driven Design for Additive Manufacturing (DfAM). This reduces the need for costly adjustments during the actual production process.

Enhanced Innovation and Risk Mitigation

Digital prototyping allows engineers to experiment with different design ideas without the risk or cost of building physical prototypes. This fosters a more innovative environment, as teams can quickly test a variety of concepts and find the best solution.

By identifying design flaws, performance issues, and manufacturing challenges in a digital environment, potential risks are minimized before physical production begins, leading to reduced risks of product recalls or costly revisions during the manufacturing phase.

Sustainability Benefits

The ability to simulate and optimize designs virtually reduces the need for multiple physical prototypes, resulting in less material waste and a more eco-friendly development process.

Through digital modeling, engineers can analyze energy consumption, waste, and emissions, helping to design more energy-efficient products and production processes that align with sustainability goals.

Investing in digital prototyping offers significant advantages in terms of cost savings, faster time to market, and improved product quality. They can use it to test and iterate designs rapidly, streamline manufacturing processes, and encourage more innovative solutions. Ultimately, digital prototyping helps create higher-quality products, reduce risks, and improve the overall efficiency of the manufacturing process, all of which make it a powerful tool for modern manufacturers.

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So, what makes AM so appealing in aerospace?

If you’re familiar with 3D printing technology and its capabilities, especially compared to more conventional – primarily subtractive – manufacturing techniques, the answer may seem obvious. However, for many engineers, the idea of bringing a relatively novel manufacturing approach to an industry that’s so heavily constrained by quality standards and regulations may seem deeply counter-intuitive.

Here are 10 benefits of 3D printing components for aerospace applications divided into three categories: design, production, and product lifecycle.

Design benefits of 3D printing in aerospace

#1 – Faster prototyping

The one thing practically every engineer knows about 3D printing is that it’s great for prototyping. Prior to the proliferation of low-cost desktop 3D printers, creating prototypes for products was both expensive and time-consuming, especially in an industry like aerospace where components often need to be both precise and highly complex. Nowadays, designers can produce multiple prototypes in less than a day for a fraction of what those models would have cost in the past.

#2 – Greater geometric complexity

It’s been said that, “Complexity comes for free,” in 3D printing, owing to the fact that internal features, enclosed cavities and other geometries that would be difficult or impossible to produce via traditional subtractive methods are easily created in additive processes. While this is a slight oversimplification, it’s near enough to the truth to explain why AM and aerospace go so well together. Turbine blades, conformal cooling channels and other organic shapes are highly sought after in aerospace applications and the availability of 3D printing makes those much more accessible to designers than they used to be.

#3 – Lightweighting

Alongside the ability to create more complex geometries at no (or at least minimal) additional cost, 3D printing enables aerospace engineers to take full advantage of topology optimization, reducing the weight of components by removing material without compromising their overall strength. The net result is lighter parts, which means lower fuel costs. For an industry where lower fuel consumption makes an enormous difference in operating costs, this makes additive manufacturing a very worthwhile investment in aerospace applications.

#4 – Assembly consolidation

Another benefit of additive manufacturing that’s frequently touted is the ability to consolidate assemblies, combining multiple parts into one. This is enabled by 3D printing’s ability to create complex geometries and, in addition to providing further options for lightweighting, it can also simplify the manufacturing process, reducing the number of fasteners or welds needed to produce a finished part. Moreover, consolidating assemblies into fewer parts can make those aerospace components more reliable in operation by reducing the number of potential points of failure, in addition to lowering inspection and maintenance costs.

Production benefits of additive manufacturing in aerospace

#5 Rapid tooling

While there are numerous cases where 3D printing adds value to end-use parts in aerospace, the technology can also be used to enhance pre-production by making jigs and fixtures faster and at lower costs than conventional means. The rapid tooling capabilities of additive manufacturing even extend to investment casting, an old technique that’s still used today to create precise metal parts. This is typically done using stereolithography (SLA) due to its high precision and broad material library.

#6 Flexible low-volume production

Compared with molding or even machining (depending on the part), additive manufacturing is often criticized as being unsuitable for high-volume production. The fact that the posterchild for AM in aerospace – the LEAP fuel nozzle – took more than half a decade to see 100,000 parts produced could be cited as proof. However, one of the defining characteristics of aerospace is that it trades in considerably lower volumes than other major industries, such as automotive or consumer goods. For this reason, the flexibility of 3D printing makes it well-suited to many low-volume production applications in aerospace, such as engine parts.

#7 Surrogate parts

While there’s an understandable tendency to focus on 3D printing’s direct impact on manufacturing, it can also have indirect benefits in the form of enabling education and training. By producing surrogate parts using lower-cost methods, such as fused deposition modeling (FDM), manufacturers can provide line workers with useful references for training purposes. As anyone who’s had experience with such models knows, there’s a world of difference between looking at a diagram on a 2D screen and holding a 3D model in your hands.

Product lifecycle benefits of 3D printing in aerospace applications

#8 Reduced material consumption

The benefit of reducing material consumption has already been touched on in reference to lightweighting and assembly consolidation, but it’s worth emphasizing how much value this provides to aerospace applications. Between titanium, aluminum and more exotic metals, aerospace materials are costly, so being able to reduce those costs through efficiencies gained with AM is a considerable benefit on its own.

#9 Reduced need for storage

Between the speed and the flexibility of additive manufacturing for low-volume applications, there’s less need to invest in storage to maintain inventories of spare parts. Instead, aerospace manufacturers can produce those parts on an as-needed basis, reducing operating costs while ensuring that necessary parts are still available to customers.

#10 Greater sustainability

Another point that’s already been touched on: lighter parts means added fuel savings which in turn mean lower carbon emissions. There’s also the reduction in waste that goes with producing parts with additive rather than subtractive methods, the latter of which tends to lead to a considerable amount of wasted material in the form of chips. Broadly speaking, metal powders are more reusable, since they aren’t combined with coolants and other contaminants as part of the production process. Finally, there’s the matter of shorter supply chains, which relates to the previous point. Since 3D printing enables parts to be produced more easily on-site, there’s less need for shipping parts across long distances, further reducing carbon emission.

Additive Manufacturing for Aerospace

One need only consult GE Aerospace’s now famous fuel nozzle for the LEAP engine or, more recently, the evolution of the SpaceX Raptor engine to see how faster prototyping, greater geometric complexity, lightweighting and assembly consolidation come together to drive design innovation through additive manufacturing in aerospace applications.

For manufacturing, while it’s indisputable that AM still has a ways to go, even in its largest market segments, for rapid tooling, flexible low-volume production and the creation of surrogate parts for references and training, 3D printing offers considerable benefits for aerospace applications.

Beyond design and manufacturing, aerospace product lifecycles are enhanced with 3D printing, lowering costs of materials, reducing the need for storage, and enhancing sustainability. Given all of these benefits, it’s no wonder that AM has been embraced for aerospace applications.

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It’s clear that digital prototyping has become a transformative tool for various industries, particularly in manufacturing. It offers significant advantages such as reducing time-to-market, improving product design, lowering costs, and facilitating more effective collaboration.

Here are some of the key industries that benefit the most from digital prototyping:

Digital prototyping in the automotive industry

Digital prototyping allows for rapid prototyping of car components and systems, significantly reducing the need for physical prototypes. Engineers can simulate and optimize designs virtually, testing different materials, shapes and performance characteristics. These models will be used across different departments (e.g., design, manufacturing, testing) can access the same digital model, ensuring a consistent understanding of the product.

Physical prototype testing can be expensive, especially in the automotive industry. With digital models, manufacturers can run simulations (such as crash tests, aerodynamics, or stress analysis) to ensure safety, reliability, and performance. This also aids in customizing vehicles for specific customer requirements, ensuring faster production of tailor-made solutions, such as when responding to fix a recall or if the customer has changed its design of another system in the vehicle.

Why It’s Important:

• Enables simulation of complex systems (e.g., engines, suspension, electronics) before physical production, which is crucial for reducing defects.
• Helps with the integration of new materials, which can be tested virtually for performance under various conditions.
• Assists in evaluating manufacturability, reducing the need for redesigns and ensuring cost-effective production methods.

Aerospace innovation with digital prototyping

Much like in the automotive sector, digital prototyping allows for the simulation of aerodynamics, structural integrity, and performance. Engineers can identify weak points, test material stress, and even simulate changes in environmental or operating conditions (like when a door plug suddenly pops out of a fuselage).

Prototypes are subjected to complex testing scenarios in the virtual world, reducing the risk of costly repetitions during physical tests or in the real-world application of the products. These digital tools allow engineers to simulate lightweight and composite materials for weight-saving without compromising strength or safety.

Why It’s Important:

• Aerospace components are typically high-cost and subject to stringent safety regulations. Digital prototyping helps ensure compliance with these regulations while minimizing waste and rework.
• Engineers can model complex assemblies (e.g., aircraft wings, propulsion systems) virtually, which is vital given the precise engineering requirements and intricate geometries in aerospace.
• Digital prototyping helps with the creation of parts that are difficult to manufacture conventionally, facilitating the integration of additive manufacturing (3D printing) for complex geometries.

Prototyping in consumer electronics

In consumer electronics, digital prototyping enables faster time-to-market for electronics such as smartphones, laptops, and wearables. Features like thermal analysis, signal integrity, and stress testing can be done virtually, allowing engineers to refine designs and optimize performance before committing to hardware.

Why It’s Important:

• The complexity of electronics (e.g., PCBs, microprocessors) demands a high level of precision, and digital prototyping can simulate electrical, mechanical, and thermal behaviors.
• Engineers can optimize the placement of components on a board or inside enclosures, allowing for better designs that minimize space and improve overall efficiency.
• Digital tools also help to evaluate manufacturability, ensuring that designs can be easily translated into production with minimal assembly issues.

Optimizing Industrial Equipment and Machinery

Digital prototyping is especially useful in designing and testing large, complex machinery or industrial systems, like pumps, compressors, or conveyor systems. It helps in simulating real-world conditions while pushing feeds and speeds to the limit without a physical prototype. Engineers can simulate the operation of machinery under stress or in extreme conditions, helping predict failure points and prevent costly downtime after production.

Digital prototypes allow manufacturers to design variations of machines with different features tailored to specific operational requirements, improving efficiency and productivity for their customers and providing a competitive advantage.

Why It’s Important:

• Engineers can simulate how the system will operate in different environments and configurations, helping to identify design flaws before physical production starts.
• Helps in determining the optimal assembly process, minimizing tooling costs, and ensuring that all parts fit together correctly.
• Allows for virtual testing of wear and tear on components, extending the machine’s lifecycle and improving product reliability.

Medical devices: digital prototyping for precision

Few manufacturers face stricter regulatory standards than those developing medical devices. Digital prototyping helps manufacturers ensure that devices meet safety and performance standards throughout the lifetime of the device. For custom implants or prosthetics, digital prototyping allows for the creation of patient-specific devices, enhancing the product’s fit, comfort, and function. they can be virtually tested for wear, fatigue, and safety under various simulated conditions, reducing the risks associated with product failures.

Why It’s Important:

• The high precision required in medical device manufacturing means that digital prototypes can be tested in ways that physical models may not easily allow.
• Virtual models help in ensuring that devices meet all necessary ergonomic, mechanical, and functional requirements before they are physically produced.
• It also allows for better collaboration with medical professionals in the design process, ensuring that the devices are as effective and comfortable as possible for patients.

Digital prototyping in Architecture and Construction

It’s hard to find an industry with higher upfront costs in the design stage than architecture, construction and infrastructure. Digital prototyping in this industry is often associated with Building Information Modeling (BIM), which creates detailed, 3D models of buildings and infrastructure to simulate the performance of the structure, such as energy usage, airflow, and stress on materials. Architects, engineers, and clients can conduct virtual walkthroughs of the building before any physical construction begins, ensuring that all aspects of the design are feasible and functional—once a structure is poured, it’s exceedingly difficult and expensive to make changes. With digital prototypes, architects, engineers, and construction teams can collaborate more efficiently, as they have a unified visual model to work from.

Why It’s Important:

• Digital prototyping helps with evaluating structural integrity and safety during the planning phase, ensuring that the design can be built efficiently and cost-effectively.
• Engineers can work with architects to ensure that the materials chosen for construction are manufacturable, sustainable, and cost-effective.

Digital prototyping has become invaluable across these industries by speeding up design processes, cutting costs, improving collaboration, and ensuring product quality. For manufacturing engineers, it offers the ability to test designs virtually, optimize product performance, and address potential issues before moving into physical production, leading to a more efficient and cost-effective manufacturing process. As industries continue to embrace digital transformation and digital twins, digital prototyping will become even more integral to in nearly every sector of the economy.

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