Chinese 3D Print Huge aircraft parts

[Eddie]

We know that 3D printing has been being used in aircraft production around the world. However, in China, researchers at the Beijing University have unveiled huge 3D printed, laser sintered parts, which are larger than what we have seen before. These parts are made of titanium and hold up better under stress and other conditions, when compared to parts made by other manufacturing means. At the same time, the production via 3D printing has proven to greatly reduce time of production as well as price. Read and see more at: http://3dprint.com/82169/3d-printed-aircraft-parts/

[Sebastian Finke]

Love the Chinese 'go big or go home' approach. USSR was similar in the 60's to 80's period. See some crazy stuff...

[checktest]

There are obvious tool marks on the part from subtractive CNC milling. Any information on whether the machining was done as a secondary operation after the part was printed?

[corski67]

The cutter marks made me wonder as well because this looks exactly like a traditionally machined part made with "subtractive" manufacturing processes. If the supposed 3D printed part still needs to be machined, the "breakthrough" is lost on me. Machining requires tooling and nearly all the traditional headaches that go with it. I don't trust the Chinese and so I don't trust that this is actually the breakthrough in 3D printing technology as it is being touted. Let's see the 3D printed part instead of something that has obviously been machined just the same way it has always been done. I find it very odd that they would put these pictures out there as representation of their breakthrough.

[JonS]

Direct Metal Deposition (DMD) requires machining to get a good finish. It's basically CNC welding and creates an very rough surface finish unless post-machining is used to clean it up.

This part could have been made using DMD + CNC machining.

[curious aardvark]

it does say it was laser sintered - which is completely different to dmd.

Just how big are the machines they use to make these ?
No mention of them just the parts.

[corski67]

Direct Metal Deposition (DMD) requires machining to get a good finish. It's basically CNC welding and creates an very rough surface finish unless post-machining is used to clean it up.

This part could have been made using DMD + CNC machining.

The article states that it was laser sintered. If it was DMD and then machined, again, I don't see what the fuss is about. DMD would be no better than a precision forging that needs to be machined.