US Navy representative has acknowledged the importance of 3D printing for design engineering

Additive technologies specialist of the U.S. Office of Naval Research Jennifer Walk said that modern 3D printing technologies allow designing completely different constructional objects and machinery of aviation equipment. Consequently developers have a possibility to create complicated and reliable details, which cannot be manufactured by other means.

According to the expert, due to their amazing capabilities additive technologies lift restrictions existing in aeronautical design engineering. Therefore today specialists primarily focus on 3D printing, preferring to use innovative solutions.

Earlier developers were not sure that 3D-printed details could boast sufficient strength and durability. Now, thanks to multiple tests of machinery, created with the help of various printing methods, specialists can fully realize the efficiency of this groundbreaking approach.

Jennifer Walk is not the first person who is talking about the huge potential of additive technologies. This spring head of rocket system department at Raytheon also stated that 3D printing is a key to creation of unique hypersonic weapon, as far as it allows creating items of any geometrical shape, which cannot be manufactured by other known means or are too costly.