Additive Manufactured Crack-Proof Gearbox Housing

Additive manufacturing presents a promising approach to aerospace component design, thanks to its ability to create intricate geometries that contribute to weight reduction. While numerous efforts have been made to 3D print aerospace parts, their application in helicopter gearboxes remains limited due to the critical nature of these components. This paper explores the design process behind manufacturing a fatigue-critical housing for a helicopter tail gearbox. Specifically, it highlights the design constraints that prompted the adoption of an innovative manufacturing technique in the aerospace sector. Additionally, it examines the methodology used to meet these constraints and details the optimized final geometries achieved through the design process. Finally, results from manufacturing trials and fatigue testing are reported.