In today’s technologically advanced world, the aviation industry is pushing the boundaries of manufacturing innovation. Dubai has emerged on this journey and has recently made investments in a state-of-the-art 3D printing centre. 3D paradigm, valued at 20 million dirhams (around £4.5 million). Surprisingly, it is the first country in the Middle East to strictly follow the aerospace-specific EASA Part 21G regulation, also known as Production Organization Approval for manufacturing aircraft parts. This important move by Dubai signifies a crucial step towards sustainability with several options to manufacture lightweight replacement aircraft components and, with this, emerge into a new era of aviation technology.
What types of aviation components will the 3D printing center produce?
The 10,750 square foot manufacturing facility, located in the Jebel Ali Industrial Zone in Dubai, is equipped with state-of-the-art 3D printers from Stratasys. It will begin with the capacity to manufacture 2,000 components per year, with projections of expansion to 20,000 units per year in the next ten years.
Paradigm 3D has established crucial partnerships with key industry players. The Design to Manufacturing Company – theD2Mco, a long-time platinum partner of Stratasys in Dubai, has installed industrial 3D printers at the facility. Additionally, Paradigm 3D has joined forces with AM Craft, a certified aerospace production company based in Latvia, which has EASA Production Organization Approval (POA). AM Craft’s participation will pave the way for Paradigm 3D to become the first certified manufacturing site outside the European Union, making it easier to approve local production.
This collaboration allows the company to provide regional manufacturing capabilities, meeting the needs of local airline operators while aligning with the UAE government’s vision for the manufacturing sector through initiatives such as Operation 300 billion. Kyriakos Papantoniou, CEO of D2Mco Group, emphasized the distinctive role of Stratasys 3D printers in this installation, positioning them as a critical player in the highly regulated aviation industry. The potential of this new plant is to extend beyond the UAE market, with aspirations to serve wider regions.
The Dubai 3D Printing Center will manufacture countless aircraft interior elements, including seats, toilets, electronic cooling ducts, environmental control system channels, cable organizers, filtration enclosures, miniature blades, seals, component connectors, systems air inlet distribution and many other components.
