Path to Certification for Polymer Additive Manufacturing

This white paper discusses the qualification of the first polymer additive manufacturing material for aerospace applications. It outlines the significance of additive manufacturing (AM) in the aerospace industry, highlighting its adoption by major companies like Boeing and Airbus, as well as smaller firms such as Aurora Flight Sciences. The paper details the advantages of AM, including rapid prototyping, reduced weight, improved performance, and lower material waste, which collectively enhance the production of flightworthy parts. However, it also addresses the challenges related to airworthiness certification, particularly the absence of industry-standard design allowables for AM materials. The document presents the National Center for Advanced Materials Performance (NCAMP) process as a solution for qualifying new material systems, emphasizing its role in providing a shared database of design allowables. The paper concludes with the initiative led by America Makes to qualify ULTEM™ 9085 resin as the first AM material for certification, aiming to facilitate the integration of AM in certified aircraft production.