Metro Aerospace, LLC, headquartered in Dallas, Texas, USA, holds the sole license to manufacture and supply globally the Microvanes, a drag-reduction and performance enhancement technology invented and patented by Lockheed Martin. Metro Aerospace was established in 2016 by the founders of Catalyze Dallas, a venture development company specializing in creating value through the spin out of intellectual property, forming new companies purpose-built to target those assets into broad commercial markets.
Challenges:
In the aerospace industry, the slightest design improvement can have a staggering impact on the efficiency of flight, which is why aerospace manufacturers dedicate tremendous time and talent to advanced engineering. Developed for the C-130/L-100 aircraft, the microvanes are adhesively fastened on both sides of an aircraft’s fuselage and are designed to reduce drag by reshaping airflow around the aft cargo door.
Solutions:
3D Systems helped Metro Aerospace take the microvanes from a prototype into a production part with uncommon speed. Using Selective Laser Sintering (SLS) and DuraForm® GF, a glass-filled nylon, 3D Systems’ On Demand team worked closely with Metro Aerospace to successfully complete a first article inspection report. This validated that all manufacturing requirements and part specifications were executed exactly as prescribed on qualified SLS machines.
Benefits:
3D printed part reduces drag and introduces savings. Delivered in ship sets of 20, the 3D printed microvanes are each about 10 inches long and each one different. According to Metro Aerospace, these additively manufactured and carefully engineered attachments can reduce total drag by approximately 15 points.
The company further indicates that the simple incorporation of these structures can lower fuel consumption by approximately 25 to 30 gallons per hour while also providing a significant reduction on inboard engine wear. Though micro in size and name, this is a major impact for such a minor modification.
Leslie Peters, President and CEO of Metro Aerospace, says purchase and installation of the microvanes can deliver a return on investment in under a year based on achievable fuel savings.
Combined with this rapid ROI, the ease of installation and minimal aircraft downtime make the microvanes an incredibly cost-effective improvement to large cargo aircraft.
“Additive manufacturing is fairly new, and it’s very new in aerospace for high volume exterior aircraft components,” says Peters. In order to quickly transition the microvane from a prototype to production parts, Metro Aerospace relied on 3D Systems’ familiarity with the aerospace industry and exposure to the microvane design that it gathered from working through the prototyping phase.
Peters is quick to point out that transitioning from a prototype to a final prod
uct is not always straightforward, especially in the aerospace industry. “Going from prototyping to production is not as easy as people think,” she says. “It’s not just turnkey. There’s a lot more involved.”
The final 3D printed microvanes had to meet all of the rigorous standards outlined by the engineers who designed them, as well as undergo a first article inspection and report (FAIR) with thorough documentation, as is commonplace in the aerospace industry. 3D Systems and Metro Aerospace worked closely throughout the process to ensure that every detail was minded and met with full attention and care, starting with printer qualification and material testing through to part labeling, finishing and shipping.
The two companies also partnered to meticulously record a process control document and verification to satisfy the stringent requirements of delivering a new product within such a highly regulated space.
According to Peters, the speed at which everything was achieved by working with 3D Systems was exceptional. “Sometimes a FAIR will take six months alone before you can even start your manufacturing, but within three to four months we were approved and shipping product for a foreign military,” she says.
“In terms of speed to market in aerospace, that’s very, very fast.”