Applied Research on utilizing 3D Scanning and 3D Printing Technologies to Optimize AircraftMaintenance and Repair

KF航空航天公司是加拿大最大的飞机维护和维修服务商业提供商，专门为全球企业、商业和军事客户提供创新的航空服务。近50年前，KF在不列颠哥伦比亚省的奥卡纳根山谷成立，现已成长为在加拿大各地的工厂雇用超过1100名高技能员工。由于客户对飞机维护和维修的需求迅速增长，KF航空航天公司正在寻求奥卡纳根学院(OC)的帮助，以研究、开发和测试使用最先进的3D扫描仪和打印机的新原型流程，以使飞机更快地恢复服务。该项目将进行的应用研究将包括开发和测试原型过程，以确定其可行性和实际应用潜力，以提高KF航空航天公司的飞机维护和维修能力。这将涉及使用3D扫描仪扫描需要更换的飞机部件或部件，这将生成基于计算机的虚拟3D模型。一旦完成部件或零件的扫描，数据点就会被电子转置到计算机辅助设计(CAD)建模软件中，以进行额外的测量、编辑和操作。一旦设计最终敲定，它将被电子翻译成一台大型3D打印机。该设备将使用塑料材料打印部件或部件的模具。然后，模具将被用来制造真正的飞机部件或部件，这些部件需要根据特定应用的需要使用金属或其他类型的材料进行更换。KF航空航天公司在飞机工程、维护和维修方面拥有丰富的专业知识和经验，因此能够很好地参与这一应用研究项目。该公司将受益于能力的增加，以支持不断增长的飞机维护和维修需求，降低成本，减少飞机恢复服务所需的时间。OC将受益于联合应用研究的推进，这些研究将支持航空航天技术系提供的项目，并为学生和教师创造创新的学习和教学机会。

KF Aerospace is Canada's largest commercial provider of aircraft maintenance and repair services, specializing in innovative aviation services for corporate, commercial and military customers worldwide. Launched nearly 50 years ago out of British Columbia's Okanagan Valley, KF has grown to employ a highly skilled workforce of more than 1,100 people in facilities across Canada. Due to rapidly growing client demand for aircraft maintenance and repair, KF Aerospace is seeking assistance from Okanagan College (OC) to research, develop and test a new prototype process using state-of-the-art 3D scanners and printers that will return aircraft to service more quickly. The applied research to be conducted in this project will involve the development and testing of a prototype process to determine its feasibility and practical application potential for increasing aircraft maintenance and repair capabilities for KF Aerospace. This will involve use of a 3D scanner to scan aircraft components or sections in need of replacement, which will generate a virtual 3D computer-based model. Once the scan of a component or part is completed, the data points are electronically transposed to computer-aided design (CAD) modeling software for additional measurement, editing and manipulation. Once the design is finalized, it will be electronically translated to a large-scale 3D printer. The device will print a mold of the component or part using plastic material. The mold will then be used to manufacture the real aircraft component or part that needs to be replaced using metal or another type of material as needed for the particular application. KF Aerospace is well positioned to participate in this applied research project given its considerable expertise and experience in aircraft engineering, maintenance and repair. The company will benefit from increased capacity to support growing aircraft maintenance and repair needs, reduced costs and a decrease in the time needed to return aircraft to service. OC will benefit through advancement of joint applied research that will support programs offered in the Aerospace Technology department, and create innovative learning and teaching opportunities for students and faculty.