Airbus Helicopter Preparing For Full Production Of 3D Printed AS350 Parts Written 24 September 2018

FlightGlobal reported that Airbus Helicopters is preparing for “serial production” of door components for its AS350 helicopter using additive manufacturing techniques. The company’s Donauwörth, Germany facility is in the “process of qualifying the production of titanium door latch shafts for the long-haul aircraft through additive layer manufacturing, with serial production scheduled to start in early 2019.” The new part will replace an existing titanium latch shaft, and Airbus believes that it “represents the first large-scale production of metallic 3D-printed components.” The first AS350s with the new parts are “scheduled to fly in 2020.” According to Airbus Helicopters Head of Industrial Service Centers Luis Martin Diaz, “3D printing should be taken into consideration right from the initial planning stages for new components, which may be able to be manufactured particularly easily and cost-effectively using this method.” 
More Info (FlightGlobal)