Air Force eyes additive manufacturing and 3D printing for flight-critical military aircraft components
WRIGHT-PATTERSON AFB, Ohio – U.S. Air Force aircraft specialists are surveying industry for companies able to use additive manufacturing -- also known as 3D printing -- for flight-critical aircraft components.
Officials of the Air Force Life Cycle Management Center at Wright-Patterson Air Force Base, Ohio, issued a request for information (FA8684-QAMVAP) last week for the Qualification of Additive Manufacturing Vendors for Airworthiness Parts project.
Qualified vendors needed
The Air Force's use of 3D printing for flight-critical components requires qualification of vendors, Air Force officials explain. To find qualified sources, the Air Force is asking industry for white papers that provide processes and procedures to qualify 3D printing vendors for parts with airworthiness considerations.
Responses should outline a vetted process to assess and qualify 3D printing vendors for airworthy parts by reviewing their quality management systems (QMS), material quality, process controls, design capabilities, data management, data and equipment security, and adherence to relevant regulations.
Related: The evolution of 3D printing and additive manufacturing
These regulations could come from organizations such as the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA), National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA), Amazon Web Service (AWS), Department of Defense Instruction (DoDI), and National Institute of Science and Technology (NIST) cyber security requirements, Automated Material System (AMS) or American Society for Testing and Materials (ASTM).
The Air Force is trying to develop a procedure to develop a qualified 3D printing vendor list for 3D-printed parts for flight-critical aircraft components.
Process validation
Respondents should address quality management, material qualification, process validation, design for additive manufacturing, non-destructive inspection, documentation and traceability, collaboration with airworthiness authorities, data management, and data and equipment security.
3D printing capabilities should adhere to industry standards like AS9100 or ISO 9001; use advanced inspection methods like CT scanning, ultrasonic testing, or laser surface scanning; perform mechanical testing for strength, fatigue, and other performance parameters; offer full traceability of all parts; collaborate with airworthiness authorities; and document cyber risk assessments.
Air Force experts want to integrate qualified vendors into the defense industry base to enable them to supply high-quality, reliable parts for future military aircraft and systems.
Companies interested should email 12-page .pdf white papers no later than 22 April 2025 to the Air Force's Andrew Gross at [email protected], and to Matthew Mercer [email protected].
Email questions or concerns to Gross, Mercer, and to Steven McCabe at [email protected]. More information is online at https://sam.gov/opp/98da46738fc44ef39623d95dce91135f/view.
