Additive Manufacturing of Helicopter Transmission Components: A Review of Open Literature
Report Number:
ARL-CR-0884
September 4, 2025
Approved for public release: distribution is unlimited.
Author(s):
Kyle Olchewsky
Abstract:Additive manufacturing (AM) is being adopted by numerous industries to produce high-performance parts that are often unable to be created using legacy manufacturing methods. This review focuses on recent AM developments that have been published in open literature and their applications to rotorcraft transmission gears and housings. A background of AM processes and terminology is provided with a brief description of legacy transmission manufacturing methods for comparison. The aerospace industry is rapidly researching AM to meet the high-performance demands of future rotorcraft transmissions.