Air New Zealand and Zenith Tecnica, a New Zealand-based 3D printing technology company, have teamed up to print aircraft parts and tools using Zenith Tecnica's Arkham electron beam melting process.
Air New Zealand is trying to apply 3D printing technology to aircraft interiors, development and manufacturing of 3D printed parts and tools. Some time ago, they formally started a cooperative relationship with GE and Zenith Tecnica.
Aircraft interiors usually consist of tens of thousands of parts. The development of some parts using 3D printing technology will effectively save time and labor costs. In addition to prototype manufacturing, some parts made directly by 3D printing have high strength and durability, and they also perform well in terms of safety. These metal 3D printed parts are ready to use.
In addition, Air New Zealand has made and tested 3D printed metal frames made of titanium alloy for the cabin of their latest aircraft. For parts repair, they also successfully validated the performance of replaceable parts using 3D printing technology. The application of 3D printing technology will promote the development of Air New Zealand, accelerate the development and iteration of their new models, and reduce the maintenance cost of the aircraft by replacing 3D printed parts, allowing the company to build a competitive advantage.