Boeing make $1 billion investment in 3D printing software

Boeing have just announced a $1 billion deal with France’s Dassault Systèmes. This strategic partnership will see Dassault’s 3DExperience software rolled out across Boeing’s additive manufacturing operations around the world. The software will be used for the design of 3D-printable aerospace parts at Boeing’s additive manufacturing operations around the world. The sophisticated 3D printing software’s range of tools for collaborative design work across multiple locations will enable Boeing’s teams to share best practice in AM and continue to deliver innovative printed parts for aerospace applications.

Boeing have established themselves as one of the key thought leaders for AM in the aerospace sector, successfully utilising the technology for both satellites and airplane parts (the latter of which has been aided by their partnership with Norsk Titanium). They have also been active in cutting-edge 3D printing research via their support of the University of Sheffield’s Additive Manufacturing Research Centre.

This latest deal is an interesting one in that it not only represents a global leader’s commitment to developing its in-house additive manufacturing capabilities, but also demonstrates how fundamental the right 3D printing software is to this process. Our Founder & CEO recently wrote about how essential it is for additive manufacturing specialists to build robust partnerships with their software providers, and this development is an excellent example of this in action. With both companies having already established a strong working relationship in previous projects, we would expect this new deal to build on that foundation. Indeed, the new deal is projected to last at least 30 years.

We look forward to seeing the results of this partnership as it develops. We would expect it to yield great things for both Boeing, and the aerospace sector as a whole, helping to set a new standard of industry best practice in AM.