Upgrading in the Time of Pandemic
Stratasys, Ltd, a global leader in manufacturing of 3D printers and 3D production systems for office-based rapid prototyping and direct digital manufacturing solutions, has announced winning one of its largest single orders to date.
Latvia-based AM Craft, the specialist aerospace additive manufacturing service provider, has purchased four large-scale production-grade Stratasys F900 3D Printers to provide certifiable 3D printed parts for a much wider range of aircraft interior applications. This includes everything from aircraft seating, panelling and ducting. This development has enabled Stratasys to make it more affordable for AM Craft to introduce customization within their plane cabins.
AM Craft has been aware of the growing demand for 3D printed production parts among major aircraft Original Equipment Manufacturers or OEMs. The pandemic has shaken the aerospace industry in the last months, but efforts are ongoing to return to business. OEMs are using this time to remodel passenger planes for cargo shipments, to increase customer safety measures and improve the inflight customer experience. They are thinking, for example, of providing mobile device charging stations and Wi-Fi infrastructures.
AM Craft has noted Stratasys’ capabilities in highly-repeatable FDM-based 3D printing technology in conjunction with aerospace-grade materials like ULTEM™ 9085 resin. To AM Craft’s advantage, they will be able to meet the strict rules and regulations of certification requiring the highest level of repeatability and traceability with every manufactured part.
This new and latest investment of AM Craft will complement their existing line-up of four Stratasys Fortus F450mc 3D Printers. Together, the eight FDM-based machines will be the core of their new facility in Riga, the capital of Latvia, dedicated to additive manufacturing. The site will focus specifically on fulfilling the application requirements of the company’s customer base of aircraft suppliers and airlines. This will make the company one of the largest independent aerospace-focused 3D printing service providers in the European, Middle Eastern and African region.
