Materials
As a tier-one supplier with products and expertise that touch virtually every aircraft flying today, Parker has the material knowledge and expertise to help customers evaluate and select materials based on their mechanical properties and the specific design application. Parker Aerospace characterizes its materials following Metallic Materials Properties Development and Standardization (MMPDS) methodology, the primary source of statistically based design allowable properties. MMPDS is recognized by most governing bodies.
Certification
The path to certification for AM components is comprehensive and includes the qualification of raw materials, AM build procedures, and post-build processes. Much like the requirement to their own suppliers for special processes, Parker has also adopted Nadcap accreditations for their own AM facilities. Nadcap accreditation shows that all processes are in control and a stringent list of AM specific requirements is being met.
Parker Aerospace has now built certifiable components and systems for commercial and military aircraft. All Parker equipment is conceived and engineered to offer redundancy, safety, and reliability with the certification process in mind. Contributing to Parker’s track record of success is its state-of-the-art simulation capabilities, advanced test equipment, and thorough knowledge of global regulatory requirements.
Benefits
In the aircraft industry, preventive maintenance requires high-quality spare parts that are readily available at maintenance, repair and overhaul (MRO) facilities. Additive manufacturing addresses these issues with game-changing advantages that positively impact entire systems and an OEM’s bottom line:
- Reduced lead times: With additive manufacturing, complex parts can be produced without investing in expensive tooling, reducing lead times by as much as 90 percent.
- Improved design abilities: Additive manufacturing enables unique and complex geometries to be produced, leading to greater strength, efficiency, durability and performance.
- Parts consolidation: Additive manufacturing offers the ability to consolidate part assemblies made from many pieces into a single part, simplifying the assembly and maintenance process as well as the supply chain.
- Material efficiency: Unlike subtractive manufacturing methods that remove excess material to create parts, additive manufacturing builds parts by layering the material only where it’s needed.
- Weight savings: Because additive manufacturing permits complex geometries and functional integration, weight reduction can be achieved to reduce fuel consumption and CO2 emissions.
