NOVI, MI—Airbus Group Innovation and EOS recently conducted a test that pitted rapid investment casting against direct metal laser sintering. Engineers examined an Airbus A320 nacelle hinge bracket, focusing on its overall lifecycle. The testing will serve as the basis for an ongoing cradle-to-grave study into other aerospace parts and production processes.
BOLTON, UK—Empire Cycles and Renishaw, a manufacturer of additive manufacturing technology, have created a lightweight, titanium bicycle frame through 3D printing.
How quickly a manufacturer embraces new technology depends on its potential benefits. Three-dimensional printing, for example, enables manufacturers to build 3D parts and products quicker and with more precision than conventional machining.
ROLLA, MO—Researchers at Missouri University of Science and Technology are running computer simulations of additive manufacturing processes that could lead to stronger, more durable materials for spacecraft.
WASHINGTON—The National Institute of Standards and Technology has awarded two grants totaling $7.4 million to fund research projects aimed at improving the rapidly developing field of additive manufacturing.
In business since 1969, C&A Tool Engineering Inc. is a contract manufacturer of engineered components. The company makes implants, instrumentation and tools for the medical, aeronautical, defense, transportation and other industries at its 700,000-square-foot manufacturing facility in Churubusco, IN.