A new partnership designed to improve sustainability and address the challenges of aircraft operators and Maintenance, Repair and Overhaul (MRO) organizations, which need to reduce costs and downtime in cabin service operations.
AM GLOBAL GmbH, the accelerator of large-scale additive manufacturing applications and provider of advanced manufacturing solutions has launched a new business called The Aviation AM Centre, founded in partnership with RANDERATH GmbH, a turn-key project delivery company. The new venture will provide end-to-end solutions for the additive manufacturing (AM) of certified cabin interior polymer parts for the aviation industry. A launch event for the new venture was held on 2 July, 2021.
The Aviation AM Centre’s mission is to drive more innovative and sustainable manufacturing in the aviation industry through production cells that can be used to develop components that are lightweight, stronger and make more efficient use of materials in the production process. The new venture will provide full design, manufacturing and certification services for polymer parts and AM machines that meet European Aviation Safety Agency (EASA) and United States Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) standards. The Aviation AM Centre will start operations in the EOS Innovation Centre in Dusseldorf, Germany, using EOS industrial 3D printing technology and its own best practice workflows.
Additive manufacturing can greatly reduce the time and money spent by aircraft operators and MRO organisations as they seek to reduce downtime and improve the speed and efficiency with which they can service aircraft interiors. Customized parts in particular demand high prices and long lead times for production, calling for the flexibility and cost-advantage of AM in the maintenance and refurbishment of cabin interiors. 3D printing not only allows for the structural optimization and weight reduction of parts, but can produce on-demand parts, directly from a ‘digital warehouse’ reducing wait times, along with storage and production costs.
Primary customers will be airlines and maintenance organizations, alongside cabin interior suppliers and original equipment manufacturers across the commercial aviation space. Examples of this will include VIP charters, private aviation and urban mobility.
Bernhard Randerath, Founder and Chairman of the Board of The Aviation AM Centre, said: “Airline operations are facing very demanding time and cost saving imperatives, especially in the current environment. We are very proud to celebrate the opening of this new venture which will provide tailored solutions, efficient processes and cutting-edge technology for airlines and other parts of the commercial aviation industry. Our partnership with AM GLOBAL, brings together deep 3D printing technology know-how, with our understanding of the market for commercial aviation and additive manufacturing – the perfect basis for a strong business.”
Daniel Lichtenstein, Managing Director of AM Global Holding GmbH, added: “The Aviation AM Centre is a ground-breaking new venture that will enable the aviation industry to use the benefits of additive manufacturing through a collaborative approach. We are excited about the innovations that will come out of The Aviation AM Centre, with its world-class know-how of aircraft operation and maintenance, and the AM GLOBAL team’s expertise, developing new sustainable and efficient integrated production solutions for the aviation sector.”
The Aviation AM Centre is supported by the newly founded German-Emirati Institute and the ACAM Aachen Centre for Additive Manufacturing, both located in Aachen, Germany. The German-Emirati Institute aims to build greater industrial collaboration between Germany and the United Arab Emirates (UAE), based on the two countries’ framework agreement for industrial cooperation and technology exchange. Present during the opening celebration were the Ambassador of Germany to the UAE, Ernst Peter Fischer, and H.E. Hafsa Al Ulama, Ambassador of the UAE to Germany.
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