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The NASA Glenn Research Center in Cleveland is using new technology to help solve one of aviation’s oldest safety challenges – icing. A five-year research program between NASA and the Federal Aviation Administration includes 3D printing to better understand ice formation and its effect on airplanes.
NASA officials say the aviation community has studied icing since before World War II, but thanks to new tools like 3D printing, the industry has access to advanced research that can help planes fly more safely. NASA teams have tried various programs to simulate wing icing, but the 3D capability is the most realistic.
– Edward Stevens, Stevens Strategic Communications