Why Is DLS 3D Printing Technology Ideal for Aerospace?

Protolabs has been making a name for itself in the manufacturing industry for many years. The company has not only mastered traditional production processes such as injection molding, but is also an expert in additive manufacturing, using a wide range of processes. From metals to polymers, it supports customers in a wide range of sectors, including aerospace, a key market for 3D technologies. While prototyping was one of the main applications for the latter, it has to be said that more and more end-use parts are being 3D printed. And Protolabs is an expert in this type of application, notably with Carbon’s resin process, Digital Light Synthesis (DLS). You might think that resin technology wouldn’t be the best option for aerospace, but the company proves differently. To find out why, we spoke to Dr. Philipp Amend, Director Operations PZB & Director Engineering 3DP.

3DN: Could you briefly introduce yourself and Protolabs?

Philipp Amend

Hello, my name is Philipp Amend and I am responsible for 3D printing production at the Protolabs site in Putzbrunn (PZB), Germany. We support our customers in their manufacturing projects, and together we choose the right production method, be it 3D printing, CNC machining or Injection Molding. This enables us to offer the best solution for every phase of the product life cycle in a customer and product-oriented manner. Among our manufacturing capabilities, we are equipped with Carbon solutions, including a large-scale Carbon L1 3D printer that enables us to print a large number of small parts, as well as larger ones – up to 300 mm.

While Carbon’s DLS technology has often been used for elastomer materials, we are now able to print rigid parts from small to large for production, which is unique on the market. This is of particular interest to the aerospace industry.