Autoclave‑capable 3D‑printed composite tooling took a meaningful step forward this month. Aurora Flight Sciences (a Boeing company) and Mississippi State University’s Advanced Composites Institute (MSU ACI) reported a validated approach for printed molds that can withstand autoclave temperature and pressure. This breakthrough promises lower costs and shorter lead times for low‑volume aerospace parts.
Why it matters: cure tools (molds/fixtures) are usually machined from aluminum or steel, adding weeks and expense before the first layup. If those tools can be printed and still survive an autoclave cycle, teams can iterate faster on prototypes, spares, and short‑run builds without compromising part quality.
The team found a key process insight: conventionally oven‑cured printed tooling underperformed in actual part production. By pre‑curing the printed mold itself using a revised thermal schedule, Aurora and MSU achieved tooling performance suitable for autoclave part manufacture. MSU ACI produced the printed prototypes; Aurora defined the material and cure path. Together, they arrived at a validated solution that withstood production conditions.
Next up, the group will scale to larger molds and quantify tool lifespan across repeated cycles—critical data for planning capacity and QA. Aurora expects to move the method onto experimental and prototype aircraft programs. A move that signals a real pathway‑to‑production potential; rather than a lab‑only result.
For process engineers and production managers, the takeaway is practical. Access to printed, autoclave‑ready tools could shrink tooling queues and reduce changeover risk when designs evolve late. For QA and regulatory teams, the work points to a defined validation path anchored in controlled curing of the tool and measured performance under aerospace cure conditions. The approach doesn’t replace metal tools in every case, but it broadens the playbook for composite manufacturing where time‑to‑part is the constraint.
Image & article source: Aurora Flight Sciences
