XPost: sci.space.policy, sci.physics, sci.electronics.design   
   From: jfindley@cinci.nospam.rr.com   
      
   In article , jimp@specsol.spam.sux.com   
   says...   
   > > Also, the other option that 3D printing opens up is more shape optimized   
   > > parts.  These things are optimized so that "useless" mass is simply gone   
   > > from the design.  They tend to look "organic" rather than "machined" due   
   > > to their complex shapes.  I've heard this called "light-weighting" parts   
   > > from management types.   
   >   
   > And about the only place where weight matters that much is in things   
   > that fly and in that case useless mass is already gone from the design   
   > without the expense of 3D printing.   
      
   True, the big dumb cylindrical pressure vessel may not apply but, that's   
   not the entire aircraft.   
      
   If the "mass were already gone from the design" then GE would not be   
   pouring literally millions of dollars into developing a one meter cubed   
   3D printer presumably for printing aircraft engine parts.   
      
   Landing gear, and all other structural moving parts, is surely another   
   area on aircraft which could use this technology.  Landing gear make up   
   a significant percentage of an aircraft's total dry mass, so this would   
   be a likely candidate for shape optimization and 3D printing.   
      
   > Have you ever looked at the interior structures of an aircraft?   
      
   Yes, many times.  I've got a b.s. in aerospace engineering, so I know   
   the basics.  Many of our customers are aerospace, so I have to   
   understand the domain.   
      
   > 3D printing is, and always will be, a niche manufacturing method.   
   >   
   > Handy at times, but certainly not a world changer.   
      
   This is quite short sighted.  I'm sure the same was said about   
   composites when they were in their infancy.  Today it would be quite   
   hard (i.e. likely impossible) to point to something commercial that   
   flies and carries people commercially that has absolutely zero composite   
   content.   
      
   I can say that shape optimization coupled with 3D printing is one of the   
   "bleeding edge" topics in my industry.  It's really no secret, you can   
   surely Google hundreds of articles on the topic.  I really can't go into   
   further details, but my profession is in writing engineering software,   
   so I ought to know.   
      
   Jeff   
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