Navigating the Impact of Global Supply Chain Challenges on Aerospace Additive Manufacturing: Insights from Industry Experts
July 13, 2024, 9:32 am
Location: United States, Illinois, Chicago
Employees: 10001+
Founded date: 1916
Total raised: $25.01B
The aerospace industry finds itself in the midst of a perfect storm of supply chain issues, significantly impacting the realm of additive manufacturing. At the 2024 AMUG Conference, a panel of esteemed experts delved into the complexities, challenges, and potential solutions surrounding this critical issue.
Dan Braley, representing Boeing Global Services, underscored the urgency of the situation, highlighting how geopolitical conflicts, including the war in Ukraine, unrest in the Middle East, and the aftermath of the COVID-19 pandemic, have led to severe disruptions in the supply chain. These disruptions have particularly affected the additive manufacturing sector, where lead times for crucial aerospace-grade raw materials have extended to several months, eroding one of AM's key advantages - speed.
Laura Macht from the U.S. Army DEVCOM Aviation and Missile Center shed light on the unique challenges faced in sustaining military equipment, especially in obtaining parts for older, often discontinued, military hardware. The issue is compounded by the fact that many of these parts exist only in obsolete or non-digital formats, such as 2D hand-drawn designs, making their reproduction through modern AM techniques a complex endeavor.
Carl Dekker of Met-L-Flo highlighted the scenario where outdated materials and components are no longer in production, emphasizing the challenges faced when requested parts and materials are no longer manufactured. Dekker stressed the importance of collaboration and collective action by major manufacturers to influence material availability, noting that smaller companies face significant hurdles in acquiring these materials.
Paul Bates from ASTM emphasized the critical role of standardized qualification processes in additive manufacturing, particularly in the aerospace sector where each customer may have different requirements. By unifying qualification checklists across various sectors, including aerospace, automotive, and medical, ASTM aims to streamline the qualification process, enabling faster part production and meeting customer needs more efficiently.
Scott Rose from Boeing Research and Technology detailed the diverse challenges faced by Boeing in sourcing and manufacturing aerospace components, ranging from sourcing hard-to-get parts and materials to dealing with outdated specifications. The intricate web of standards and materials that must be navigated in aerospace manufacturing poses a significant challenge for the industry.
The discussion also touched on the evolving landscape of additive manufacturing standards in aerospace, with concerns raised about the balance between stringent standards and barriers to AM adoption. The consensus-based nature of standard creation was highlighted, emphasizing the industry's role in shaping standards through active participation.
The conversation further delved into the importance of intellectual property (IP) and its impact on business decisions and technological advancements in the aerospace sector. Panelists discussed the complexities surrounding IP, particularly in the context of defense acquisitions and evolving IP rights.
In conclusion, the panelists emphasized the need for open communication, collaboration, and proactive engagement in the additive manufacturing community to overcome challenges and drive innovation in the aerospace sector. The call for greater dialogue, sharing of success stories, and active participation underscores a collective effort to push the boundaries of aerospace additive manufacturing.
Join the conversation and be part of the solution in navigating the intricate landscape of aerospace additive manufacturing amidst global supply chain challenges.
Dan Braley, representing Boeing Global Services, underscored the urgency of the situation, highlighting how geopolitical conflicts, including the war in Ukraine, unrest in the Middle East, and the aftermath of the COVID-19 pandemic, have led to severe disruptions in the supply chain. These disruptions have particularly affected the additive manufacturing sector, where lead times for crucial aerospace-grade raw materials have extended to several months, eroding one of AM's key advantages - speed.
Laura Macht from the U.S. Army DEVCOM Aviation and Missile Center shed light on the unique challenges faced in sustaining military equipment, especially in obtaining parts for older, often discontinued, military hardware. The issue is compounded by the fact that many of these parts exist only in obsolete or non-digital formats, such as 2D hand-drawn designs, making their reproduction through modern AM techniques a complex endeavor.
Carl Dekker of Met-L-Flo highlighted the scenario where outdated materials and components are no longer in production, emphasizing the challenges faced when requested parts and materials are no longer manufactured. Dekker stressed the importance of collaboration and collective action by major manufacturers to influence material availability, noting that smaller companies face significant hurdles in acquiring these materials.
Paul Bates from ASTM emphasized the critical role of standardized qualification processes in additive manufacturing, particularly in the aerospace sector where each customer may have different requirements. By unifying qualification checklists across various sectors, including aerospace, automotive, and medical, ASTM aims to streamline the qualification process, enabling faster part production and meeting customer needs more efficiently.
Scott Rose from Boeing Research and Technology detailed the diverse challenges faced by Boeing in sourcing and manufacturing aerospace components, ranging from sourcing hard-to-get parts and materials to dealing with outdated specifications. The intricate web of standards and materials that must be navigated in aerospace manufacturing poses a significant challenge for the industry.
The discussion also touched on the evolving landscape of additive manufacturing standards in aerospace, with concerns raised about the balance between stringent standards and barriers to AM adoption. The consensus-based nature of standard creation was highlighted, emphasizing the industry's role in shaping standards through active participation.
The conversation further delved into the importance of intellectual property (IP) and its impact on business decisions and technological advancements in the aerospace sector. Panelists discussed the complexities surrounding IP, particularly in the context of defense acquisitions and evolving IP rights.
In conclusion, the panelists emphasized the need for open communication, collaboration, and proactive engagement in the additive manufacturing community to overcome challenges and drive innovation in the aerospace sector. The call for greater dialogue, sharing of success stories, and active participation underscores a collective effort to push the boundaries of aerospace additive manufacturing.
Join the conversation and be part of the solution in navigating the intricate landscape of aerospace additive manufacturing amidst global supply chain challenges.