Finland’s first 3-D printed aircraft-engine part had its maiden flight on 5 January.
Produced by Patria, which has been working on the manufacturing process for 3-D printed parts over the last two years, was installed in an F/A-18 Hornet fighter.
The part was designed in accordance with the MDOA (Military Design Organisation Approval) granted to Patria and was manufactured from the super-alloy Inconel 625.
Ville Ahonen, vice-president of Patria’s aviation business, said: “For this part, the development work has been done over the last two years, with the aim of exploring the manufacturing process for 3-D-printable parts, from drawing board to practical application.
Using 3-D printing to make parts enables a faster process from customer need to finished product, as well as the creation of newer and better structures. We will continue research on additive-manufacturing methods, with the aim of making the new technology more efficient.”
Patria is a provider of “defence, security and aviation life-cycle support services and technology solutions”. Besides Finland, the Group has operations in Sweden, Norway, Estonia, Poland, the United Arab Emirates, the USA and South Africa.
It has 2,800 employees and is owned by the Finnish state (50.1%) and Norway’s Kongsberg Defence & Aerospace AS (49.9%).