ORNL 3D-Prints Two-Ton Steel Mold that Could Make Aircraft Lighter

ORNL 3D-prints two-ton steel mold that could make aircraft lighter

Engineers from Oak Ridge National Laboratory and Boeing 3D-printed this metal mold to stamp thermoplastic composite doors for next-generation aircraft.

Oak Ridge scientists spent eight weeks 3D-printing a nearly 2-ton steel mold measuring 6 feet tall; Boeing will use the massive tool in NASA's project to speed composite aircraft manufacturing

A team at the US Department of Energy’s Oak Ridge National Laboratory (ORNL) has spent eight weeks 3D-printing a massive steel mold that stands 6 feet tall, measures 4 feet wide and weighs nearly 2 tons. The tool, developed with Boeing, is designed for manufacturing thermoplastic composite aircraft components and will contribute to NASA’s Hi-Rate Composite Aircraft Manufacturing (HiCAM) project.

ORNL & Boeing faster, cheaper, lighter composite airframes

Oak Ridge National Laboratories and Boeing bring together tech team creates Stamp Die Form that will produce thermoplastic composite parts (e.g., aircraft doors) aimed at faster, cheaper, lighter composite airframes