SAE Update - July 2022 - 13

TECH FOCUS:
ADDiTivE MANUFACTUriNg
that is not possible with traditional methods, and is
being used to optimize the design of better aerospace
products, " said Melissa Orme, vice president of Boeing
Additive Manufacturing. " We're continuously looking
to identify opportunities where we can employ
additive manufacturing to improve product
performance through streamlining the vehicle,
reducing its weight, and providing more durability. "
In this case, using AM technology for the gearbox
housing reduced the long lead time needed with
traditional manufacturing and enabled design
enhancements that improved quality.
As far as the Chinook program is concerned, this
effort is another example of why the aircraft remains a
key part of enduring heavy-lift fleets around the
world.
" The Chinook is still an innovative platform, " said
Todd Harder, Chinook drive systems engineer who led
the team that developed the housing. " We're looking
at a lot of other available areas to get us to the next
50 years of flight. There's a lot of
capability within the Chinook
platform that's going to be
valuable to our customers in the
future. "
For Orme, " light on wheels "
and " wheels off ground " were
two phrases she had been
waiting years to hear. A Chinook
drive systems engineer, she led
the team that developed the
additive-manufactured
transmission housing, took flight
in multiple Chinook tests after
years of development and bench
testing to prove its airworthiness
before it ever left the ground.
Additive manufacturing
Using AM technology for the gearbox housing reduced the long lead time
needed with traditional manufacturing and enabled design enhancements
that improved quality.
UPDATE
lowered lead times and
machining time plus enabled
design improvements that
improved quality for these
Chinook test flights. In the future,
additive manufacturing could
also help improve component
costs and component weight and
enable production of spare parts
in the field, not just in a factory.
She reports to Boeing's chief
engineer and senior vice
president of Engineering, Test &
Technology, and is responsible
for continuing to grow and scale
additive manufacturing
capabilities and helping to
rapidly expand understanding of
July 2022
13
Boeing
SAE Update - July 2022

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