Charles de Gaulle aircraft carrier tests metal 3D printing

The French aircraft carrier Charles de Gaulle is hosting a technical trial to test metal 3D printing technology for on-board spare part production. The initiative is a collaboration between Naval Group, the Service de soutien de la flotte (SSF), and Nanoe, utilizing Zetamix technology.

The system employs a material extrusion process using filaments composed of metal or ceramic powders held together by a polymer binder. The production sequence involves printing the initial geometry, a debinding phase to remove the polymer, and a sintering process in a furnace to consolidate the material into a solid metal component.

This sea-based experimentation follows several months of testing at Naval Group’s additive manufacturing center in Toulon. The goal is to evaluate the feasibility of manufacturing various components within an operational maritime environment. The permanent installation of the equipment on the carrier will depend on the results of these trials. Nanoe’s Zetamix solution is noted for its portability and low infrastructural requirements, offering a safer alternative to powder-based printing as it does not require lasers or specialized gases.