Technological advances in recent years have led aircraft manufacturers to use 3D metal printing or additive manufacturing to create complex aircraft parts. An evolving technology, 3D printing helps users design and create parts by considering the cost factor, surpassing conventional methods such as computerized numerical control (CNC) cutting, mold manufacturing, and canvas printing. It is economical and allows for quick design and rapid changes to internal features of aircraft engines, airframes, and components, which was not possible with traditional manufacturing methods. This technology reduces the size and weight of the entire aircraft as it produces lightweight parts, while maintaining structural integrity, increasing customization, and overall construction efficiency.
In January 2017, Airbus manufactured 3D printed airframe parts that are stronger and up to 55% lighter than traditionally manufactured parts.
Estonia-based Magnetic MRO, an integrated MRO services provider, acquired MAC Interiors, a UK-based firm, to launch a new project in November 2016 to merge MRO services with 3D printing technology so as to provide cost-effective and high-quality interior solutions.
Production of interior components is clearly an area where ALM techniques will grow. A cabin update can create gaps between new and old components. Previously plastic spacer panels would be produced via injection moulding – a relatively complex and costly process for the small number required. However, thanks to 3D printing, Airbus has enabled small-batch manufacturing that is quicker and produces components that are around 15% lighter than earlier versions. Similarly, manufacturer ATR is using 3D printing to produce low quantities of cabin parts for out-of-production variants of its turboprop airliner family.
In case of replacement parts, the large OEMs generally have a monopoly on the aftermarket business. But as with any industry, the presence of alternative aftermarket products of comparable, or even better quality drives down prices. For the aviation industry, this competition is from smaller independent MROs as well as PMA parts manufacturers.
Since 1950s, the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) has been granting Parts Manufacturer Approval (PMA) for third-party manufacturers to produce replacement parts for aircraft. It is estimated that PMA parts provide cost savings between 30 to 50%, in addition to the design improvements. Most OEMs emphasize that procuring parts from PMA will prove cheaper in the long-term. Even if the PMA manufacturers are currently facing competition in North America, it is expected that in the forthcoming years PMA would be focusing on other regions of the world such as Asia-Pacific and the Middle East, where PMA acceptance and usage is rapidly developing. However, in North America, most air carriers already accept PMA parts. Whereas, in case of Europe, Asia, and other developing countries there remains a perception that OEM parts are high quality and more reliable. The dominant PMA players in the market are AMETEK, Parker Hannifin, Precision Castparts and others.
Big data refers to the study and applications of data sets that are too complex for conventional data-processing application software. Big data is used in the aftermarkets parts for capturing data, storage, search for parts, data analysis, sharing, transfer, visualization, querying, updating, information privacy, and data source. Predictive analytics and certain other advanced data analytics methods are used to extract value from data and minimize it to the size of a data set.
Data analytics platforms such as IBM’s Watson and GE’s Predix are ramping big data solutions. These would improve the predictive maintenance, for example, in November 2016, Teledyne Controls and GE Aviation had a strategic partnership to ease the flow of data and improve it via Predix, GE’s cloud-based analytics platform. Moreover, GE Aviation signed an agreement in 2016 with Capgemini SE to launch Configuration Data Exchange, which will enable airlines, parts distributors, MROs, and OEMs to electronically send information among them by using different data formats.
Aftermarket services can enhance manufacturers’ competitiveness significantly if data to insights and insight to action processes are reimagined with technology and analytics solutions at their core. Thus, big data plays a vital role in providing real t
Automation is the technique, method, or system of operating or controlling a process by highly automatic means, as by electronic devices, reducing human intervention to a minimum. Airline industry is working on automation of the MRO services in the future. As MRO services comprises of complex sets of processes, accordingly, customization needs to be carried out on the various processes. Presently, Lufthansa Technic is focusing on design and development of robots for MRO and aftermarkets parts by considering factors that improve the planning of parts, provides useful actionable insights, assist in predictability, and offer greater technical efficiency.
MRO outsourcing is gaining acceptance as performance-based logistics contracts are becoming popular in the aviation industry. Globally, aircraft operators are extensively outsourcing maintenance and logistics support contracts to MROs, which enables a quick turnaround time during maintenance. Furthermore, OEMs across the aviation industry are looking to increase their share of revenue from the aftermarket. Similarly, the industry has evolved from the in-house maintenance of fleets to customer-centric, third-party service offerings. For instance, Air France Industries KLM Engineering & Maintenance is a subsidiary of Air France KLM, which provide a full range of maintenance, repair, and overhaul services for all types of aircraft components including airframe, engines, FTRs, and landing gear to third-party customers.
Nations such as Brazil, Malaysia, Mexico, and South Africa have a low cost of labor and are continually improving support for MRO services. However, this support is mostly for labor-intensive heavy maintenance checks. Increasing fuel costs and retirement of maintenance-intensive aircraft will eventually have a negative impact on the outsourcing transition.
Hence, the aircraft MRO outsourcing would positively drive the aftermarkets parts market during the review period.
There have been 7 patents filed by the companies in the field of aircraft aftermarket parts market, over the last five years (1st March 2014 – 1st March 2019), out of which 5 were in the application phase and the remaining 2 were granted.
