Safran Seats - Repeatable Manufacture of Low-Volume Aircraft Seat Components using Additive Manufacturing

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Safran Seats GB, located in South Wales, manufactures high-end Business Class and First Class airliner suites. The low volume nature of executive seat production lends itself to flexible manufacturing techniques that do not require bespoke tooling. However, these methods must still be capable of producing parts with the same high quality, finish and repeatability that Safran Seats GB's customers rightfully expect. To ensure successful introduction of a new form of additive manufacturing to Safran Seats' repertoire of proven production methods, Safran Seats GB plans to leverage expertise from Swansea University's ASTUTE Centre. The advanced testing and analysis services provided by the ASTUTE centre will allow Safran Seats GB to better understand the root-cause of geometrical variation observed when creating representative parts using this state-of-the-art technique. In addition, defining what techniques can be applied to prevent distortion. Successful introduction of this manufacturing method to Safran Seats GB will increase production agility, reduce lead times, reduce costs and weight, and increase the flexibility with which Safran can tailor its products to individual airline customers. Ultimately, the reduction in lead-time, cost and weight, together with the enhanced product offering realised by this technology, will generate and secure new sales that will underpin the continued production of executive seating products in South Wales -- protecting advanced UK engineering jobs, ensuring the UK remains competitive in this market segment, and advancing the UK's industrial capability and capacity.