China Eastern Airlines (CEA) operates a modern fleet serving 1,062 destinations in 177 countries. In order to ensure flight safety, Eastern Aviation Technology Co., Ltd. shoulders the heavy responsibility of aircraft maintenance and component repair of Eastern Airlines. The aviation industry has extremely high requirements for safety standards, so what gave China Eastern Airlines the idea to start using additive manufacturing?
Back in 2015, the first brand new Boeing 777 passenger plane of China Eastern Airlines had a printing error in the seat sign. It was too expensive to buy a replacement for such a small mistake, so the engineers used 3D printing. The new logo was printed in just three days and at a lower cost, so China Eastern quickly set up a dedicated AM laboratory.
China Eastern Additive Manufacturing Laboratory
The laboratory of Eastern Aviation Technology Co., Ltd. used Fortus® 450mc and ULTEM™ 9085 resin to make finished parts. ULTEM 9085 is a high-performance thermoplastic material with a high strength-to-weight ratio that meets the relevant requirements of the FAA and CAAC25. Since its establishment, the laboratory has successively produced and installed more than 300 finished parts, making China Eastern Airlines the first domestic airline to use 3D-printed interior parts on commercial aircraft. By 3D printing in small batches, the company has reduced delivery times and the cost of purchasing spare parts, while still ensuring a safe and comfortable flight experience for passengers.
3D-printed interior parts
The Additive Manufacturing Lab has enabled Eastern Aviation Technology to move its business from proposal submission to part design to production. The lab has developed many different aircraft interior parts, including seat armrests, cabin door handle covers, luggage rack latches, electronic flight bag holders, and newspaper holders.
Many pilots have ditched thick flight manuals in favor of electronic flight bags, so the Additive Manufacturing Lab designed and 3D printed a custom bracket unit. Airbus 330 and 320, Boeing 737, and several commercial airlines have purchased and installed this device on various types of aircraft.
Newspaper holders on the seat backs of the cabin are often damaged by collisions with dining cars, and damaged parts could injure passengers. Lead times for ordering new parts are long, but the lab can quickly design, 3D print, and install new parts while still meeting strict approval guidelines. By manufacturing replacement parts in-house, Eastern Aviation Technology Co., Ltd. can effectively bridge the gap in the current supply chain system and continue to provide passengers with a comfortable flying experience.
Future plan
The additive manufacturing laboratory of Eastern Aviation Technology Co., Ltd. has been transformed into an advanced manufacturing department with expansion capabilities.
The laboratory plans to explore more applications of additive manufacturing in the aviation field, such as safety pin storage boxes, 3D printing molds, customized training aids, etc., aiming to realize intelligent manufacturing with zero inventory, on-demand production, and digital management.