ABSTRACT
This chapter highlights examples of how 3D printing is being used in aerospace and defense industries, how it may be applied in the future, and what obstacles must be overcome before widespread applications become mainstream. Low production volumes often associated with these industries also enable 3D printing to be cost-competitive with traditional castings. Developments are underway to create an integrated system to 3D print, finish-machine, paint, and assemble components on an as-needed basis, with minimal human interaction. General dynamics land systems has utilized fused deposition modeling technology in a number of applications that illustrate the capability of 3D printing to provide measurable efficiency gains without actually being used for production components. The chapter shows significant potential for 3D printing to transform systems engineering, true adoption of this technology must start in the earliest stages of product and process design. 3D printing holds tremendous potential, but considerable challenges exist before this process can truly revolutionize the future of manufacturing.
