3D Printing in Aerospace

This report is a Handbook of Innovations & Technologies (HIT), in the domain of 3D printing in the aerospace industry and provides insights into the technical challenges, existing solutions, innovation trends, market trends and key participants in the innovation ecosystem.

This report is essential reading for everyone associated with the domain of 3D printing, providing clear answers to problems and issues faced, enabling them to take key decisions. For example, this report can be beneficial to CEOs, heads and members of R&D departments, heads and members of IP/strategy departments, heads and members of HR departments, heads and members of marketing departments, academic researchers and scientists, patent agents and/or attorneys, as well as investors and consultants operating in the domain of both the 3D printing and aerospace industries.

This report provides valuable answers to the following critical questions:

Investment decision:

• When did patenting activity in the domain start and how has it evolved?
• Which countries are suitable market geographies for utilizing this technology?
• Who are the major players involved in this technology?
• What potential collaboration opportunities are available with smaller players?
• Who are the recent entrants?
• What are the different activities being taken up by the major players?
• Which are the best patents and who owns them?

R&D activities:

• What are their patenting strategies and areas of focus?
• How do the major players compare against each other in terms of IP potential, R&D capabilities and strategy?
• Which countries are the innovation hubs for this technology domain?
• Which research institutes / universities work in this area?
• Which technology areas are most focused on research and development?
• What are the latest technological advancements in the domain?
• What are the different 3D printing processes used?
• Which specific materials are used for 3D printing in the aerospace industry?
• What are the major technical challenges associated with various processes, materials and modeling techniques?
• Which companies are filing patents in different materials for respective 3D printing techniques?

Human resource:

• Who are the key inventors / experts in different technology areas?
• What is the area of expertise for the key inventors?
• Which law firms are available in different jurisdictions?
• What are the grant rate and average grant time for respective law firms?
• Who are the examiners in the domain and what is their grant rate?
• Which art units are available for the patent filing and what is their grant rate and grant time in the domain?

Legal/ IP counseling:

• What are the major IP stumbling blocks (dark spaces) in 3D printing in Aerospace domain?
• What are potential industry segments where patent portfolio coverage could be extended?
• How to draft better inventions (optimized scoped) and prosecute efficiently?
• What patenting strategies are being adopted by major players in 3D printing in Aerospace domain (jurisdictions, type of claims, patent maintenance, etc.)?
• What are the major law firms/agents involved in 3D printing in Aerospace domain?

To prepare this report, multiple diverse searches were conducted to comprehensively identify all the patents pertinent to 3D printing in the aerospace industry. These patents were then analyzed manually to capture their focus and application areas and identify the technical challenges. Thereafter, informative and actionable insights were generated by combining this manual information with the bibliographic information of the patents. Expert industry analysis has also been included as part of the research.

This report includes three sections:

1. Overall trends in the domain of 3D printing in the aerospace industry:

This section highlights technology evolution (patent filing trends), primary countries of research, major market geographies, existing collaborations and opportunities, new entrants, key patents, most active law firms, prominent inventors and important IPC classes as well as key player’s IP position in the domain of 3D printing.

2. Detailed technology analysis of patents and applications published in the technology domain:

This section highlights the focus of patents and applications relating to the production methods used in 3D printing, scanning and modeling techniques disclosed, materials used for 3D printing, applicable products being targeted and technical challenges faced.

3. Major players trends in the domain of 3D printing in the aerospace industry:
This section provides an analysis of the major players in the domain focusing on their patent filing trends, their research centers, markets of interest, technology focus, partnerships, strategies and other important parameters.

Based on patenting activity, the following companies were identified as the major players, and are analyzed in detail in this section:

I. United Technologies

II. MTU Aero Engines

III. General Electric

IV. Boeing

V. Airbus

VI. Rolls-Royce

VII. Safran

VIII. Siemens

IX. Honeywell

X. Lockheed Martin