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But how cool would it be to ring up a engine shop and ask them to whip u a new crankcase on their 3D printer? Expensive now for sure but like most things once there is an explosion of uses, markets and eager customers the price will come down
That's just exactly what we propose with our "Digital Foundry" and it's today's reality: our first rebuilt Renault 4P (a french version of Gypsy Major) will be on test bench this summer and we hope to fly early 2016.
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When the Inspector from the regulatory body shows up, and you tell him your part is as good as the original, they say, "Prove it." And if you can't, you don't get the C of A.
You're absolutely right, we are starting here in France with planes flying under special regulations like collection airplanes or orphan airplanes. These are often the ones that need rare parts remanufacturing. For those, the owner is in charge of airworthiness, and can have its parts remanufactured under its own responsibility.
For the others we are having advanced discussions with our CAA (DGAC) and they are proposing solutions like a special design agreement we could apply for, as they understand it's much safer to fly with a brand new casing, X Ray and sample tested, than to continue with those old rewelded cracking crankcases...
In this process, we have of course to provide material data, sample tests, X Rays for each part, but as new material yeld strength is 4 times the old part samples yield, there is at present time no major objection.
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