Page 23 - 3D Metal Printing Summer 2019

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Defense’s F-35 (Lockheed Martin) Light- ning II next-gen program joining proven platforms such as the F-15 (McDonnell Douglas), F-16 (Lockheed Martin) and F- 18 (McDonnell Douglas), providing sys- tems for our military and its allies.
All of this signals increasing business opportunities for metal formers, with metal 3D printing proving to be a useful option.
Accentuating Additive
Metal 3D printing’s aerospace ascent builds as traditional and additive manu- facturing (AM) join forces via acquisitions. Among them: the purchases of Dover, NH- based Form 3D Solutions by Eastford, CT- based Whitcraft Group and of Macomb, MI-based Baker Industries by Cleveland, OH-based Lincoln Electric.
Founded in 2015, Form 3D Solutions
uses two EOS M290 machines to 3D print direct-metal-laser-sintered (DMLS) parts. Its acquisition by Whitcraft Group earlier this year leaves Form 3D Solutions founder and general manager, Joseph Gabriel, and partner Vojta Kubec, engi- neering manager, feeling “ecstatic” as they look forward to advancing AM in aero- space. “Every year, the FAA approves more metal 3D-printed parts, such as internal
Viewpoint: Sourcing Trends, Tariffs and More
As president and CEO of Thomas, provider of product sourcing, supplier selection and marketing solutions for industry, Tony Uphoff stays abreast of global trends, issues and policies affecting aerospace. 3D Metal Printing recently asked Uphoff for his insights on the supply chain, tariffs and the future of aerospace.
3DMP: When it comes to aerospace, what are you tracking and what are your data showing?
Uphoff: We look at a broad set of categories to deter- mine aerospace-industry sourcing trends. Our eight most active aerospace-related product/service categories are contract manufacturing, machining, fasteners, heat treat- ing, painting, welding, CNC machining and composite structures. Our data show that these categories collective- ly have seen a 1.3-percent increase in sourcing activity year-over-year. However, over the past 12 weeks (as of this writing), sourcing activity for these categories is 10 per- cent above its historical average. After a strong 2018 for the industry, analysts expect growth to continue through 2019, led by growing commercial-aircraft production and continued strong defense spending. At least as far as Q1, our data seems to bear out analysts’ predictions.
3DMP: Please comment on the Boeing 737 Max trou- bles and its impact on the aerospace supply chain.
Uphoff: In April, Boeing began cutting its production down to 42 airplanes per month, after expectations called for 57 per month. This will affect suppliers up and down its supply chain. While it would be reasonable to expect Boeing’s main competitor, Europe’s Airbus, to pick up new orders in the wake of this, in the short term Airbus may not have the capacity to push its output higher, with Boe- ing and Airbus accounting for 99 percent of the global market for large commercial aircraft. Whether Boeing suc- cessfully addresses the 737 Max issues and continues long-term production, or replaces it with a new design, remains unknown. Meanwhile, Airbus also faces its own challenges and recently announced that it is abandoning production of its A380 in 2021, citing a lack of customers for the superjumbo jet. While the Boeing and Airbus sce- narios will affect their respective companies and suppliers in the supply chains for those specific aircraft, the industry
as a whole still expects a strong year driven by increasing passenger travel demand.
3DMP: What is your ‘crystal ball’ telling you about tar- iffs and aerospace?
Uphoff: The escalating trade war with China grabs most of the headlines, but something else to keep an eye on is the saber rattling between The Trump Administration and the European Union (EU). In retaliation for what it deems to be unfair subsidies the EU gives to Airbus, which the World Trade Organization ruled to be accurate, the United States is threatening to impose tariffs on aerospace-relat- ed items such as non-military helicopters, aircraft, aircraft fuselages and aircraft undercarriages from EU countries including the United Kingdom, Germany, France and Spain. While the impact of the China metal tariffs have left an impact on the industry since last summer, creating both winners and losers among domestic suppliers, should these new EU tariffs come into play, we could be looking at a significant amount of work in the aforemen- tioned aerospace-related categories coming back to U.S. manufacturers and suppliers. Ultimately, whether it is China, the EU or America, our economies are largely inter- dependent, so the hope should be that all sides work out agreements that keep a level playing field and benefit all involved.
3DMP: What does the future of aerospace look like?
Uphoff: A growing percentage of metal forming for aerospace applications involve metal 3D printing, as opposed to traditional machining or stamping processes. We are already seeing it, and in fact, a recent study by Research and Markets forecast a growth rate of 23 per- cent between 2017 and 2021 for the AM market applied to the aerospace sector. As advancements in 3D printing and materials continue, suppliers will be able to create incredi- bly strong yet lightweight structures for aircraft manufac- turers, who always look for every possible way to reduce weight and minimize the space required by components. I, along with other aerospace-industry analysts, expect con- tinued growth, at least in the short term, as commercial- passenger demand and global defense spending remain strong.
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