Case Study: Bell Helicopter achieves rapid, cost-saving prototyping and faster design iterations with Proto3000

Building Helicopter Prototypes with FDM

Bell Helicopter needed durable, flight-ready prototypes of branching wiring conduits for an experimental tail-wiring upgrade on its Osprey tilt-rotor aircraft. Proto3000 stepped in with Fortus FDM rapid prototyping (FDM) capabilities using engineering thermoplastics like polycarbonate and PPSF to meet the lab’s need for functional, high-temperature- and chemical-resistant parts and fast turnaround.

Proto3000 produced 42 conduit models in just 2.5 days by running the Fortus FDM system continuously, enabling Bell to install and test parts in-house rather than wait roughly six weeks for cast aluminum alternatives. The quick, clean FDM workflow saved time and money, allowed more design iterations for better components, and delivered flight-representative parts that supported successful ground testing.

Bell Helicopter

Mike Storp

RP Lab Technician