The prevailing myth of additive manufacturing is that it can only print small parts that, though complex, are generally non-essential to the overall performance of a machine such as a plane.
This myth is being laid to rest by Thermwood Corporation, which is routinely printing mission-critical aerospace products like helicopter blades that are up to 20 ft in length. Their machines are so large-scale that the envelope of their smallest printer is 10 x 5 x 4 ft.
“We can realistically build a machine up to 100 ft long and typically 15-20 ft wide, and 5 ft in height,” says Scott Vaal, LSAM (Large Scale Additive Manufacturing) product manager at Thermwood.
In this interview, Vaal tells engineering.com how their composite materials have versatile applications in the aerospace industry, and makes a bold prediction for what the future holds for large-scale additive manufacturing.
This video was sponsored by Thermwood Corporation.