An on-site stereolithography machine is enabling Airbus to quickly and cost-effectively produce prototype components for wind tunnel testing. From the earliest stages of aircraft development, Airbus is constantly concerned with risk reduction. Even a minor issue would mean that an aircraft would have to be taken out of service while the components were replaced, damaging the company's reputation and proving expensive. "Oversights in design can cost millions of pounds to fix once the aircraft is in production," said Martin Aston, wind tunnel domain manager at Airbus' Filton site. At Airbus's engineering division, which is responsible for aircraft design and for the interface with the manufacturing teams, a wind tunnel operation is used to provide data as part of the aerodynamic design process and to carry out tests in support of all Airbus aircraft programmes. The wind tunnel team, however, is under pressure to meet deadlines and, as Aston explained, if models could be built more quickly, the design stage can be entered into later, giving the aerodynamicist more time to think before committing to a test. As a result, technology was needed that could help improve cycle times.
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