BigRep and Etihad Airways, conquering aerospace with additive manufacturing

German large-format 3D printer manufacturer BigRep has unveiled its collaboration with Etihad Airways Engineering to develop the next 3D printed solutions for the aerospace industry. A collaboration that should allow for the creation of parts for aircraft cabins, but also for innovative concepts for all new aircraft.

Last year, Etihad airlines announced that they would be using additive manufacturing to improve the design of their aircraft, particularly for the interior. This time, the airline wants to go even further and is considering 3D printing as a real competitive advantage for designing more efficient and comfortable aircraft. But above all, a more industrialized manufacturing process.

Berhard Randerath, Vice President of Engineering, Design, and Innovation at Etihad Airways Engineering explains:“Etihad Airways Engineering and BigRep share a vision to bring the 3D-printed cabin into production, together with our partners. “Our goal is to enable 3D-printing technologies for cabin parts – be it on new aircraft programmes or for retrofit installations – to serve our airline customers with innovative and smart solutions.”