Case Study: Thales Alenia Space achieves 25% lighter satellite parts in half the time with 3D Systems' Direct Metal Printing

Thales Alenia Space and 3D Systems Prove Viability of Direct Metal Printing

Thales Alenia Space, a leading aerospace supplier, partnered with 3D Systems to prove direct metal printing (DMP) for mission‑critical satellite hardware. The challenge was to produce four uniquely shaped, high‑precision titanium antenna brackets for a geostationary telecom satellite that met strict aerospace quality and tolerance requirements while reducing weight and lead time.

3D Systems’ On Demand Manufacturing team applied topological optimization, LaserForm Ti Gr5 and the ProX DMP 320 printer (with a low‑O2 vacuum build chamber) plus post‑machining and quality control to deliver flight‑ready parts. The result: brackets that are 25% lighter with a better stiffness‑to‑weight ratio, production time cut to about 4–5 weeks (versus ~10 weeks traditionally), lower costs, and accelerated adoption of DMP across Thales Alenia Space’s programs.

Thales Alenia Space