Fighter jets dating back to the 1970s are being converted into a fine powder to facilitate 3D printing of components for the next generation of aircraft in the UK’s Royal Air Force (RAF). This innovative approach is not only more efficient but also less harmful to the environment, addressing the challenges of sourcing materials from sanctioned countries.
Experts at Additive Manufacturing Solutions have pioneered a method to recycle critical materials like Ti64, a titanium alloy containing 6% aluminum and 4% vanadium. The UK Ministry of Defence possesses significant stocks of these valuable materials, primarily found in outdated or damaged aircraft and components.
By utilizing turbine blades from the retired Panavia Tornado, which served with the RAF from 1980 to 2019, the team successfully recycled them into a nose cone for a prototype engine intended for the RAF’s upcoming fighter jets.
“The manufacturing landscape is becoming increasingly complex and costly,” a spokesperson noted. “Our goal is to produce components as cost-effectively as possible.”
The process of creating spherical particles from old components is vital for ensuring the quality of new parts, as irregular particles can obstruct 3D printers. Merely grinding down the metal isn’t sufficient; therefore, the recycled materials are melted and sprayed into a high-pressure jet of argon, where they break apart into raindrop-shaped droplets. These droplets then spin within the gas, forming spherical shapes before solidifying. “It resembles the natural formation of hailstones,” the spokesperson added.
This refined powder can be utilized in 3D printers, which essentially weld the powder layer by layer—each measuring half the thickness of a human hair—to create the new part. “It’s a straightforward microscopic welding process,” the spokesperson explained.
For this particular initiative, the powder was used to 3D print a nose cone for an Orpheus jet engine, currently under development for the Future Combat Air System (FCAS). The FCAS aims to include a variety of modular aircraft, featuring developments like the proposed sixth-generation BAE Systems Tempest fighter jet for the RAF.
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