Additive manufacturing’s impact and future in the aviation industry
通过近50位航空专业人士的焦点小组讨论，研究了增材制造在航空业当前和未来的应用，发现其采用受经验积累、技术稳定性和新机型开发驱动，短期内将补充传统制造并带来供应链效益。
Additive manufacturing (AM) is a technology that has the potential to change the future of aviation supply chains and how the aviation industry designs, manufactures and repairs aircraft in the future. The purpose of this research was to shed light on the current and future states of AM in the aviation industry. From focus groups with nearly 50 aviation professionals from aircraft original equipment manufacturers (OEMs), suppliers, maintenance repair overhaul providers, and AM service providers and AM production firms, we found that the adoption of AM will be triggered by the accumulated AM experience in the industry, the stability of AM technology and the development of new aircraft generations. For AM to be finally adopted, aircraft OEMs must actively manage several success factors and monitor numerous control factors identified and discussed in this research. AM will supplement traditional manufacturing processes at least in the short to midterm, likely grow exponentially and offer benefits for players in the aviation supply chain.