An innovative digital liquid metal manufacturing method for aerospace applications: incorporating life cycle assessment for sustainability

Abstract

The Ultra Clean Cast (UCC) system presents an innovative approach to aerospace manufacturing by prioritizing component quality and manufacturing repeatability. It incorporates a cradle-to-gate life cycle assessment to highlight its additional environmental benefits, with a greater focus on enhancing sustainability. This novel approach improves upon traditional shape-casting by maintaining the high cleanliness of melt metal, critical for aluminum alloys, and difficult to achieve in general for aerospace parts, under varied conditions. By providing a sustainable, cost-efficient route for fabricating complex components, UCC is adaptable across aerospace platforms and evaluates the use of recycled aluminum, supporting the sector’s shift towards a circular economy. This paper outlines the UCC system’s integration of technological advancements with environmental responsibility, incorporating recycled aluminium raw material, material manufacturing, and product manufacturing stages. This system provides a new benchmark for environmentally friendly aircraft manufacturing by outlining process improvements and their implications for industry sustainability and efficiency. The findings highlight UCCs potential to affect aerospace manufacturing in the future, combining high-quality output with environmental considerations.