Materialise joins SONRISA project to standardise QA in aerospace AM
Materialise, headquartered in Leuven, Belgium, has joined SONRISA, a joint project led by Liebherr-Aerospace Lindenberg GmbH and funded by the Federal Republic of Germany under the LuFoVII-1 call. Project partners include Bundesanstalt für Materialforschung und -prüfung (Federal Institute for Materials Research and Testing), Boeing Deutschland GmbH, Materialise GmbH and MTU Aero Engines AG.
The SONRISA joint project will develop digitised, standardisable quality assurance concepts for Additive Manufacturing weight-optimised aviation components. Together, the consortium aims to ensure the stability and repeatability of Laser Beam Powder Bed Fusion (PBF-LB) through in-situ and ex-situ process monitoring and statistical process control, accelerating the approval process as a result.
A robust data infrastructure, advanced analysis methods, and optimised testing concepts will help reduce costs, time, and energy consumption, support international standardisation efforts (EASA, FAA) and contribute to sustainability in aviation.
Materialise’s role in the project is to develop a digital concept for the quality assessment of metal PBF-LB components. The fusion and analysis of process and test data (e.g. temperature, image, and CT data) will enable automated, data-based acceptance decisions.
Additionally, it is developing virtual feasibility testing workflows for AM that can make a significant impact during the CAD design phase, which is expected to bring technological and sustainable improvements, strengthen Materialise’s methodological basis in quality assurance, and expand the software portfolio for aviation and other certification markets.
“This project is all about generating trust. We have the chance to play a significant role in shaping how Additive Manufacturing is seen and adopted in aviation. To prove to the industry that this technology delivers the parts they need, at the quality and price point they demand,” said CTO Bart Van der Schueren. “As the first choice in additive manufacturing for aerospace, Materialise has driven this movement for many years; now, we’re excited to see how this project helps the aerospace industry pursue a more sustainable, cost-effective future.”
