Direct Part Manufacturing (DPM) for Nonstructural Components

The traditional methods of manufacturing non-structural aerospace components require significant amounts of recurring and non-recurring costs, in addition to delays because of tooling and fixture fabrication, as well as, material availability. A large number of non-structural components for aircraft, such as clips, brackets, and ducting are presently being produced using traditional metal and plastic forming methods. Traditionally, metals have been the material of choice due to their capability to withstand higher service temperatures than previously capable with non-traditional manufacturing methods. With advances in materials and processes used for direct part manufacturing (DPM), the opportunity now exists to develop the right process and material(s) for transitioning many of the non-structural aircraft parts to DPM. With its expertise in traditional manufacturing and rapid prototyping to support manufacturing, Prototype Productions, Inc. will investigate and prove the feasibility of applying current DPM processes with select available materials, to produce non-structural aircraft parts that will meet the applicable mil-spec requirements.