A New Approach to 3D Printing Tool Recycling for Aerospace Manufacturers

August 5, 2024

A new partnership between Jamco America and Airtech Advanced Materials Group is developing Large-format additive manufacturing (LFAM) tooling, such as the solution pictured here that was produced using Airtech’s Dahltram I350CF thermoplastic resin, a fully recyclable polymer. (Image: Jamco America)

Jamco America Inc., has signed a new partnership agreement with Airtech Advanced Materials Group to revolutionize aerospace manufacturing through 3D printing (3DP) tool recycling. The partnership enables faster production of finished goods with reduced risk and cost and a lower total carbon footprint. By embracing sustainable products and practices, Jamco and Airtech are pioneering a new era of environmentally conscious aerospace manufacturing.

The partnership between Jamco and Airtech began in 2006, with Airtech supplying composite manufacturing consumables and supporting materials to Jamco. In 2021, the collaboration expanded into large-format additive manufacturing (LFAM) tooling. Jamco’s goal is to explore LFAM technology for high-temperature applications, aiming to overcome the limitations of traditional composite layup tooling. This promises to significantly reduce lead times and supply chain delays while enhancing performance and reducing the risk of defects in finished parts.

The LFAM molds produced by Airtech utilize Airtech’s Dahltram I350CF thermoplastic resin, a fully recyclable polymer. Depending on the application’s requirements, Airtech can grind up and compound this resin into a blended or 100 percent recycled formulation. Ongoing testing at Airtech aims to validate the best blended formulations for high-performance applications such as aerospace tooling and molds.

Jamco America is a subsidiary of Jamco Corporation, a commercial aircraft interior products and services provider based in Japan. The Japanese aerospace company’s Everett, Washington-based subsidiary is considered among the most experienced interior products suppliers and turnkey aircraft interiors integrators in the industry.

Airtech Advanced Materials Group is the largest manufacturer of vacuum bagging and composite tooling materials for prepreg/autoclave, resin infusion, and wet lay-up processes up to 799 °F (426 °C). The company manufactures a range bagging and composite tooling materials used by aerospace manufacturers including vacuum bagging films , release films, pressure sensitive tapes, mold releases (non-liquid), peel plies among others.

The latest partnership update with Jamco follows a series of recent industry partnerships established by Airtech to grow LFAM applications, including two announced in March with Additive Engineering Solutions and Caracol.

Under their expanded partnership focused on LFAM, Jamco and Airtech aim to revolutionize aerospace manufacturing by enhancing product quality, reducing lead times, lowering production costs, and minimizing environmental impact.

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