Additive Manufacturing in the Aerospace Industry

The main advantages of Additive Manufacturing (AM) of metals in the aerospace industry are part consolidation; the reduction of lead time, the construction of complicated structures easily with a great Strength-to-Weight (S:W) ratio; production of parts on-demand with reduced inventory, uncertainty and the costs of supply chains. Ti6Al4V and nickel-based alloys are commonly used AM materials for aerospace parts. Ground-based AM for aerospace has achieved great advances. AM has the potential to develop parts for general aviation, aircraft, missiles and less massive satellite systems. This study introduces AM advantages, the technologies of AM, the materials and applications of AM and research progress in the aerospace industry; deals with the state-of-the-art of AM and its trends for aerospace; and highlights its challenges and future research