Aerospace additive manufacturing Aim 3D targets aviation with Ultem pellet printing

Pellet-fed 3D printing could lower the cost of producing aerospace components from Ultem 9085. Developed with AM-MRO, Aim 3D’s Exam A 510 combines controlled material feeding and uniform chamber heating to support repeatable production, with component costs reportedly around 40 per cent below filament printing.

Aim 3D has developed an aerospace version of its Exam 510 pellet-fed 3D printing system in collaboration with AM-MRO. The redesigned Exam A 510, with “A” standing for aviation, focuses on processing the high-performance polymer Ultem 9085. According to the company, the system has undergone certification for aerospace applications. It will be the centrepiece of Aim 3D’s presentation at Formnext 2026, alongside examples of aerospace components.

The manufacturer sees lower component costs as a key advantage over conventional filament-based 3D printing. According to Aim 3D, producing an Ultem 9085 component using pellets costs just under 60 per cent of the equivalent filament-based process. The Exam 510 was extensively modified to meet aerospace requirements for process stability and mechanical properties.

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Aim 3D also reports that parts printed from commercially available pellets can achieve mechanical properties comparable to those of injection-moulded components. For aerospace suppliers, the potential benefits extend beyond production costs: on-demand and decentralised manufacturing could help make spare parts available closer to where they are needed, while reducing inventory requirements.

Certification partner AM-MRO

Aim 3D’s Exam A 510 and its Ultem printing process were modified through a certification process with expert Stefan Roeding of AM-MRO in Bleckede, Lower Saxony, Germany. AM-MRO provides consulting, training, and auditing services to aerospace manufacturers in connection with the use of additive and other innovative manufacturing technologies. The company supports customers in introducing, qualifying, and implementing these processes to ensure compliance with applicable aviation standards and approval requirements. As part of the certification process, Aim 3D developed the Exam A 510 and the printing process to meet the aerospace industry’s stringent requirements.

Key features of the new Exam A 510

The focus was on Ultem 9085, the high-performance polymer widely used in the aerospace industry. The new Exam A 510 system had to demonstrate consistent tensile strength in Ultem 9085 tensile specimens regardless of the machine or build position. The certification process with AM-MRO combines high mechanical performance of the parts with maximum process stability of the 3D printing system. All process parameters are documented, standardized, and optimized during certification. One result is a slightly higher density than that of filament-printed parts. The system modifications focused on highly uniform temperature distribution throughout the build chamber, as well as continuously controlled Ultem 9085 material feeding in terms of temperature, dryness, and tamper protection. An important additional benefit was easier removal of support structures, reducing post-processing effort. The result is an Exam A 510 with a build chamber actively heated on all sides. The large viewing window that is a distinctive feature of the standard Exam 510 has been replaced by a camera for monitoring the build chamber — form follows function.

Potential and prospects for 3D pellet printing in aviation

The cost advantages over 3D filament printing are clear, but other opportunities are also attracting the aviation industry’s attention: material use and post-processing can be optimized, and part properties can be improved. Stefan Roeding, CEO of AM-MRO: “Readiness for aviation with an Exam A 510 combines substantial material cost advantages with part optimization. It also meets all requirements for decentralized, timely on-site manufacturing, from batches of one to medium-sized production runs, with high process stability and high part quality. For aviation users, a manufacturing strategy based on a pellet-fed 3D printing system is a key factor in improving value creation and part quality, while enabling the use of unmixed recycled aviation materials.”

More Aim 3D highlights at Formnext 2026

Aim 3D is also focusing on the high-performance material PEEK. Sample parts made from pure, medically certified PEEK and printed on an Exam 510 will be on display, alongside other PEEK components. Another development of interest for PEEK is a smaller Exam with a smaller but heated build chamber, positioned below the Exam 255. This system will be exhibited as a prototype and is still under development in Rostock. Rounding out the Rostock-based company’s presentation is the printing of extra-soft TPE (Shore 0) on an Exam 255. Other TPE parts with a Shore hardness of 0 complete the display.

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