SAE International, the global engineering standards association, has released its first specification for additive manufacturing polymers for the aerospace industry. In particular, the document relates to the process and materials used in FFF. They were developed at the request of airlines that are seeking to apply 3D printing to the production of plastic cabin components such as monitor bezels, partitions and armrests. These specifications and those adopted by suppliers seeking to meet aerospace requirements will help encourage the adoption of 3D printing.
The AMS-AM Non-Metal Additive Manufacturing (AMS-AM-P) Committee was established specifically for its creation. Paul Jonas, director of technology development and planning at the National Aeronautics Institute (NIAR) and chairman of AMS-AM-P, said: "Users and manufacturers of additive manufacturing will benefit from implementing the AMS-AM standards. These standards help With a consistent set of material and process restrictions, both users and producers have agreed to support parts procurement activities. The AMS-AM standard promotes the promotion of knowledge, standardization of practice, and commercial advancement in the emerging aerospace industry. "
In collaboration with Strata Manufacturing and Siemens, Etihad Airways' 3D printed TV surround will be used on the back of its aircraft seats in 2017.
SAE International's FFF specification
Standardization is critical to the adoption of 3D printing in manufacturing, especially where the aerospace industry is strictly controlled. To meet this requirement, SAE International has released many materials related to the use of metals in aerospace, including laser powder bed fusion (LPBF) standards. The organization has also partnered with aerospace suppliers such as Norsk Titanium to develop specifications for emerging additive manufacturing technologies. So far, the AMS-AM committee used for this development has issued a total of 9 metal 3D printing specifications, and plans to introduce more specifications in the future.
The new AMS-AM-P specification for polymers is numbered and named AMS7100: molten filament processing technology and AMS7101: molten filament processing material. The former stipulates key controls and requirements to use Stratasys' trademark FDM technology and other material extrusion processes to reproduce parts. Users can use the documentation to approve the process and materials of the new machine, as well as verify the appropriate configuration and test methods. The latter specification AMS7101 outlines the technical information, production guidelines and documentation requirements of the material manufacturer.
Standardization of additive manufacturing
In its standard setting process, SAE International collaborates with industry-specific regulatory agencies (such as the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA)), manufacturers, suppliers, and end users, including the technical standards organization ASTM International. In 2018, ASTM announced the development of a standard practice outline using powder bed fusion (PBF) technology. Since then, it has established members of the Center for Excellence in Additive Manufacturing that focus on standards.