Honeywell Receives £14+ Million to Accelerate Development of Aerospace Additive Manufacturing

This is good news for additive manufacturing in aerospace! The Honeywell group, leading a consortium comprising 3T Additive Manufacturing, BeyondMath, Qdot Technology, and the Oxford Thermofluids Institute, has just announced that it has received £14.1 million in funding from the UK government to accelerate its work. But what does this work involve? The goal is to understand how 3D technologies can be used for cabin pressurization systems in aircraft and environmental control systems. Additive manufacturing is not the only technology being studied: artificial intelligence should also help accelerate innovation and R&D. This R&D project, called STRATA, is funded through the Aerospace Technology Institute (ATI) program.

Although this is a British project, it represents opportunities for the entire aerospace sector and proves that 3D printing, combined with other techniques, can have a significant impact. It is about changing the way aerospace components are designed and produced. Thanks to artificial intelligence, for example, the aim is to reduce the risk of errors through simulation models, which will also ultimately lead to better performance. With the addition of additive manufacturing, manufacturers will be able to reduce production times and waste rates, improving their profitability.

Example of a piece 3D printed by Honeywell

Sarah Jones, Minister of State for Industry, explains: “This is great news for Honeywell, and a good example of how government and business can work together to help keep the UK at the forefront of innovation in our world-class aerospace sector. We’re doubling down on this support through our modern Industrial Strategy – giving business the confidence it needs to invest in UK advanced manufacturing and delivering on our Plan for Change.”

Improving Passenger Safety and Comfort Through AM

In concrete terms, the STRATA project will focus on different types of components. Five will be developed for environmental control systems and cabin pressure control systems in aircraft. These are two key areas for ensuring passenger safety and comfort inside aircraft. The project will also address the issue of energy, seeking to improve aircraft thermal management. The goal is to move towards zero emissions and support the government’s environmental policy.

Jacqueline Castle, Technical Director of the Aerospace Technology Institute, adds: “Additive manufacturing has the ability to deliver both high-performance optimized components and the consolidation of complex assemblies into a single part, which can lower manufacturing costs, reduce waste and deliver new efficiencies in manufacturing. STRATA will bring this capability to critical aircraft systems, utilizing advanced simulation technologies to transform the design process. This project aligns well with the ATI’s strategy and roadmap for additive manufacturing for advanced systems, which sees additive manufacturing contributing significantly to the sector’s future sustainability.”

Many additive manufacturing processes will be employed.

The STRATA project is promising, and the funding secured could well accelerate the next stages of development. If you would like to learn more before the next announcement, you can read the official press release here. What do you think of this news from Honeywell? Let us know in a comment below or on our LinkedIn or Facebook pages! Plus, don’t forget to sign up for our free weekly Newsletter to get the latest 3D printing news straight to your inbox. You can also find all our videos on our YouTube channel. For more 3D printing news in the aerospace and defense sectors, check out our dedicated page HERE.

*All Photo Credits: Phoenix Business Journal