Airframe Designs were approached by a local OEM who required an upgrade to a refrigerator control unit. This unit would be integrated into an Airbus fixed wing military aircraft. Due to this there were many challenges to make the part certified to fly. Not only this but the part would need to be reverse engineered and upgraded to be manufactured through additive manufacturing.
The material that was selected for the housing was ULTEM 9085. This polymer was selected for its high performance in flammability testing which meets the fire safety standards according to DOT/FAA/AR-00/12. This choice shows the flexibility of additive manufacturing in meeting strict industry standards.
To prototype the housing, ASA was used. This is a cost effective material which was able to be used to make many alterations to the front-mount design. This then would have been finalised for production.
The existing part was 3D scanned through using our state of the art 3D laser scanner. This was then able to create a point cloud. This point cloud was then reverse engineered to create a digital twin which was then able to be redesigned. Design for Additive Manufacturing (DfAM) methods were used to improve the part to be optimised for additive manufacturing. This included altering the wall thickness and removing the need for supports. This allowed the part to be both cost effective and easily repeated.
This project utilised additive manufacturing and design to produce an aerospace component that reached both the safety and performance requirements. Five of these components were made and delivered.
AFD delivered a comprehensive turn-key solution for the redesign and manufacturing for the electrical housing. Through this achieving exceptional results with rapid lead times, superior quality and high efficiency.
Click the link to read the full case study: www.airframedesigns.com/portfolio/design-for-additive-manufacturing-electrical-housing/
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