China's C919 aircraft, its first homegrown commercial passenger jet, has reportedly been incorporated with several 3D printed components.

According to the International Data Corporation (IDC), the Commercial Aircraft Corporation of China Ltd. (COMAC)-made C919 has a number of printed 3D titanium parts such as its 28 cabin door parts and two fan inlet parts. Falcon Tech, China's 3D printing solutions provider, also supplied at least 30 metal 3D printed parts for C919.

Like Us on Facebook

The manufacturing firm reportedly used several machines to print the components. China is starting to embrace the 3D printing technology as a vital component to boosting its manufacturing economy.

"The success of C919's maiden flight implies the use of 3D printed parts on airlines have been recognized by the aviation industry in China," Wendy Mok, research manager from IDC's Imaging, Print, and Document Solutions Research department, said.

Mok also added that the local demand for 3D printed parts is slated to increase with the expectations that COMAC will deliver the 570 units ordered, coupled with an increase in localization rate.

"We will see more use cases on the adoption of 3D printing technologies in the aerospace industry," Mok said.

The 168-seat C919's successful flight and development is in line with the "Made in China 2025" initiative, which aims to focus on 10 sectors, including aerospace equipment development and 3D printing. To reduce the aircraft's weight and increase safety, COMAC utilized specialty metals like titanium alloys and 3D printing technology.

Meanwhile, Boeing is also incorporating metal 3D printed parts made by Norway-based Norsk Titanium. In fact, the Boeing 787 is slated to become the first commercial aircraft to fly "with certified additive-manufactured titanium parts in structural applications."

After the successful development of the C919, COMAC and Russia's United Aircraft Corp. agreed to jointly make a bigger version, to be called the C929.