THREE hour training rule – Royal Netherlands Air Force accelerated maintenance with the help of 3D printing

The Royal Netherlands Air Force is the Dutch guard of the skies. Their fleet contains a wide range of helicopters, fighter planes and large cargo planes. These aircraft have many unique and custom parts that are difficult to machine with conventional tools.

That’s why the Royal Netherlands Air Force started printing the custom tools it needed into the production flow with Ultimaker 5S 3D printers.

Woensdrecht Military Base is the main location where the fleet of the Royal Netherlands Air Force is maintained. Staff perform regular maintenance and repairs on aircraft such as Chinook, Apache, NH90, F16 and others. The base is also home to the Koninklijke Militaire School Luchtmacht (KMSL) – Royal Netherlands Air Force Academy.

A workshop in the Academy

Bas Janssen, a member of the Ambition Innovation Results (AIR) division, is responsible for improving the flow of information and knowledge on manufacturing techniques such as laser cutting and 3D printing (among other technologies).

It does this by running a dedicated makerspace within the Royal Netherlands Air Force: MakAIRsJop.

His workshop helps students and maintenance engineers find innovative solutions to the challenges of their work.

Initially, Bas started hosting workshops using several Ultimaker3 printer.

After quickly becoming familiar with the hardware and software, Bas and his colleagues began to see new opportunities to improve the speed and efficiency of air base maintenance.

People who work with 3D printing often have no technical background, but only need about three hours of training. Next, they begin to look for solutions to the problems they encounter in their work.

Spare parts, tools and accessories

Performing maintenance on such complex and customized aircraft can be a huge challenge: there are many unusual parts and systems to work with. 3D printing makes the job easier. It provides a way to create cost-effective tools suited to these specific applications in just a few hours. Bas and the team realized this quickly. Instead of outsourcing, they have printed numerous parts over the past two years, saving time and money.

For example, when transporting jet engines, some openings must be covered with a special type of cover. These parts are expensive and difficult to ship. However, using Ultimaker it takes about two hours to print the part.

Ultimaker is used to print tools, accessories and prototypes to the highest standards.

3D printing is gaining momentum

After the initial successes of the workshop, the Royal Netherlands Air Force began to expand its 3D printing activities. They recently added the Ultimaker S5 to their printer lineup to print larger parts and start working with new, more advanced materials.

Bas now recommends that every Air Force maintenance location takes advantage of 3D printing.

“Our transition to a fifth-generation Air Force can only happen if people realize they can be part of that change now, not later. Ultimaker makes this possible: it helps people understand what additive manufacturing can do for them right now, without a long learning curve.From:

Conclusion

The Royal Netherlands Air Force’s adoption of Ultimaker S5 3D printers is a crucial strategic step to enhance the readiness and maintenance of its diverse fleet of helicopters, fighter planes, and cargo aircraft. Since these aircraft feature many unique and custom parts that are challenging to service with off-the-shelf or conventionally machined tools, the integration of 3D printing provides a highly efficient and cost-effective solution.

The key advantages for the Air Force include:

1. On-Demand Tool Production: Engineers can now design and print custom tools, jigs, and fixtures (like specialized caps for jet engine openings or adjustment tools for helicopter parts) directly at the air base. This capability drastically reduces downtime and eliminates the time and cost associated with outsourcing or waiting weeks for suppliers to deliver specialized equipment.

2. Cost and Time Savings: Examples show that components like protective engine caps can be printed in just a few hours, resulting in significant cost savings compared to purchasing them externally.

3. Prototyping for Metal Machining: The 3D printers are also used for prototyping and fit-testing designs for metal parts, allowing maintenance teams to ensure accuracy and iterate cost-effectively before committing to expensive CNC machining.

4. Expanded Capabilities: The addition of the Ultimaker S5, with its larger build volume and capability to handle advanced materials (like carbon fiber composites, as seen in other military applications), further empowers maintenance teams to innovate and take control of their maintenance solutions locally.

Ultimately, 3D printing transforms the maintenance workflow into an agile, decentralized process, enabling the Air Force to remain operational and adapt quickly to the complex needs of its fifth-generation fleet.