US scientists 3D-print massive steel mold for NASA aircraft project

A team of scientists at the US Department of Energy's Oak Ridge National Laboratory (ORNL) has successfully 3D-printed a large-scale steel mold measuring 6 feet tall and 4 feet wide, weighing nearly 2 tons. The manufacturing feat represents a breakthrough in additive manufacturing capabilities for the aerospace industry.

Developed in collaboration with Boeing, the mold is designed specifically for manufacturing thermoplastic composite aircraft components. The project took eight weeks to complete and demonstrates the feasibility of using 3D-printing technology for producing large industrial tooling that would traditionally require conventional machining methods.

The mold will be deployed as part of NASA's Hi-Rate Composite Aircraft Manufacturing (HiCAM) initiative, which aims to accelerate the production of composite materials for spacecraft and aircraft. The project underscores growing interest in advanced manufacturing techniques to reduce production timelines and costs in the aerospace sector.

Additive manufacturing, or 3D-printing, has emerged as a transformative technology across multiple industries. For aerospace applications, the ability to produce large, complex molds and components through this method offers significant advantages in terms of design flexibility, material efficiency, and manufacturing speed compared to traditional subtractive methods.