Multiplicative manufacturing and aircraft sustainment

In the context of aircraft sustainment, multiplicative manufacturing is defined as the simultaneous application of subtractive and additive manufacturing processes to extend the fatigue life of an operational structure. In this chapter, we illustrate the potential of multiplicative manufacturing via the LAU7 missile launcher housing. It is shown that applying SPD to the external surface of the LAU7 missile launcher housing, further reduces the peak stress at the critical location, in comparison to only adopting a shape optimization solution, by approximately 29%. This reduction in the stress field would enable the allowable crack size to be increased from 0.5. mm to approximately 2.14. mm and would effectively triple the time to the allowable crack size.