Think of 3D printing and you may imagine flimsy, plastic structures used to test initial designs. But the technology is slowly moving away from its prototyping roots, and aerospace engineers are now hoping to prove its potential, one component at a time. Now some claim that 3D printing could even create new capabilities in the fasteners and joints that hold together larger structures such as aircraft.(…)
via Additive assembly: the 3D printed fastener | In-depth | The Engineer.