Air New Zealand, Microsoft, American aviation parts supplier Moog and Singapore's ST Engineering have joined forces to install a 3D printed part on a wide-body commercial aircraft Boeing 777-300ER.
With cloud computing service Microsoft Azure, Moog has developed VeriPart, a digital security platform. The security platform uses blockchain to protect, transmit, and track CAD files for the aerospace industry. With VeriPart, the CAD files of the required spare parts are sent to an FDM / FFF 3D printer in Los Angeles, where Boeing 777-300ER takes off. The part that needs to be replaced is a small "bumper" on the back of the LCD screen, which locks the screen to the back of the passenger seat. Print replacement parts whenever and wherever needed, saving money on spare parts storage.
Air New Zealand has been working to bring 3D printing to aviation. Last year, New Zealand's flagship airline partnered with Auckland-based Zenith Tecnica to launch a 3D printed wine aerator and cocktail tray. The airline benefits from the long-term partner ST Engineering's aerospace division, which converts traditional 2D part drawings into 3D models of Air New Zealand.