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ORNL 3D Prints Steel Mold for Boeing Aircraft Work

September 26, 2026

2 min read

Key Takeaways

ORNL and Boeing produced a steel Stamp Form Die mold using WAAM.
The mold is 6 feet tall, 4 feet wide, and weighs close to 2 tons.
It took eight weeks to print and will be used in NASA's HiCAM project.
The mold combines two alloys and has built-in heating and cooling channels.

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Strategic Implications

This development may indicate a shift towards additive manufacturing in aerospace tooling, which could reduce lead times and costs. The use of WAAM technology suggests a potential for increased efficiency and productivity in the production of composite aircraft parts, which could benefit Boeing and other industry players.

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What Happened

Oak Ridge National Laboratory Explores Wire-Arc Additive Manufacturing

Oak Ridge National Laboratory (ORNL) and Boeing have successfully produced a steel Stamp Form Die (SFD) mold using wire-arc additive manufacturing (WAAM). The mold, which stands 6 feet tall and weighs close to 2 tons, was printed in eight weeks and will be used in NASA’s Hi-Rate Composite Aircraft Manufacturing (HiCAM) project. The project aims to assess the feasibility of using metal additive manufacturing to produce large forming tools for thermoplastic composite part production. This development was first reported by an unknown source.

Source | Originally Published: September 26, 2026

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