MEMKO has achieved a significant milestone in vertically integrating, design, test, certification and manufacturing of aircraft cabin components.
Following a comprehensive review of MEMKO’s adherence to regulatory requirements and stringent safety standards, the Civil Aviation Safety Authority (CASA) has awarded a Production Approval certificate CASA Sub part 21G to MEMKO for the 3D printed Airbus A320 arm rest cover. With the CASA Sub Part 21M Design approval, MEMKO is poised to provide the aviation industry with high-quality, 3D printed components that meet stringent regulatory standards.
CASA Certifications:
Figure 1: 3D printed arm rest cover, adjacent view
MEMKO’s intent was to address a common issue in the aviation industry: the frequent damage to certain aircraft cabin parts. Replacement parts for these components often pose several challenges, including long lead times, high costs and limited availability, particularly for out-of-production items. Additive manufacturing, or 3D printing, enables the rapid design and production of replacement parts. MEMKO’s end-to-end design-to-production solution ensures quick turnaround times and cost-effective solutions for industry.
This process involves more than simply printing a part; it requires a comprehensive design and certification process. The ability to ensure conformity through digital threads is a crucial step in the certification process for additively manufactured parts. MEMKO has invested in building in-house knowledge by sponsoring PhD research in additive manufacturing of aviation components and utilizing the latest additive manufacturing tools and equipment.
MEMKO is an engineering and technology company based in Melbourne, Australia. Established in 2007 with its origins in Aerospace, MEMKO’s services now span across multiple industries with a focus on Aerospace and Defence engineering using smart enterprise digital tools across the product life cycle management covering design, systems engineering, digital mock-up, simulation, digital manufacturing and virtual twin. MEMKO is committed to building the workforce of the future, supporting many research and university clients with a combination of industry and market knowledge. MEMKO also delivers training courses for continued education in aviation and aerospace, micro credentials for upskilling in digital manufacturing and official Dassault Systèmes software certification.
Media Contact
Miro Miletic
Managing Director
MEMKO Pty Ltd
(t) + 61 3 8605 7777
Figure 2: Multiple finish options, including quality surface finish direct from printer, polished or customer-specified vinyl wrap
MEMKO Managing Director, Miro Miletić said, ”This milestone represents a significant leap forward in our ability to provide rapid, on-demand and certified additive manufacturing solutions for aircraft interior components. We are excited about the opportunities this certification brings and look forward to expanding our capabilities to support the aviation sector.”
Looking ahead, MEMKO’s CASA certification opens the door for the expansion into additive manufacturing for a range of aircraft interior components. An ongoing initiative includes the development of a library of hard-to-source parts for legacy aircraft, and we also welcome enquiries regarding new parts and opportunities.
This accomplishment paves the way to produce a range of other 3D printed aircraft cabin components, and underscores our commitment to innovation and the aviation sector. For more information about MEMKO and its aviation and aerospace capabilities, please click here.
Figure 3: Example of a damaged arm rest cover presented to MEMKO, demonstrating the routine damage experienced by these parts.
Figure 4: 3D printed arm rest cover only