How Aerospace Leaders Use Additive Manufacturing: A Case Study Breakdown

How Boeing Cut Pre-Production Time by 90% - and What It Means for the Future of Aerospace AM

The aerospace industry has long been a proving ground for innovation. From materials science to manufacturing techniques, it's where the cutting edge meets the clouds. Additive Manufacturing (AM), or 3D printing, has played a pivotal role in recent years, enabling new levels of part complexity, weight reduction, and responsiveness.

But as companies like Boeing have found, using AM effectively at scale isn't just about the machines - it's about how you manage the process.

The Challenge of Scaling Additive in Aerospace

Additive Manufacturing brings big promises: faster prototyping, less material waste, lighter components. But it also brings complexity - especially in regulated industries like aerospace. Every part must be tracked. Every process must be auditable. Every decision must be documented.

That’s where traditional workflows fall apart. Tribal knowledge gets lost. Files change hands with no context. Critical decisions disappear into inboxes.

The Authentise Advantage

Boeing, a global leader in aerospace, knew AM was essential - but they also knew they needed better infrastructure to support it. That’s why they turned to Authentise.

By integrating Authentise’s Manufacturing Execution System (MES), Boeing:

• Automated critical parts of their AM workflow

• Captured and centralised real-time data

• Enabled full traceability for parts and processes

• Reduced pre-production time by up to 90%

That’s not just saving time - it’s unlocking capacity and ensuring compliance without slowing down.

Digital Thread, Made Real

One of the biggest pain points in AM (and aerospace in general) is the loss of intent. Why was that parameter changed? Why did we choose this design variant? When that context is missing, productivity stalls.

Authentise solves that by embedding intent into every step of the workflow. Notes, decisions, and data flow with the part - from design to print to inspection. That’s the digital thread in action.

What This Means for the Future of Aerospace AM

As additive adoption accelerates, aerospace leaders need more than hardware. They need the digital tools to manage complexity, ensure quality, and scale effectively.

Boeing’s success shows what’s possible when you combine AM with the right workflow infrastructure. It’s not just about printing parts - it’s about making smart, traceable, scalable decisions every step of the way.

Ready to See What’s Possible?

Whether you're scaling AM or just starting to explore its potential, Authentise can help.

Our tools are already supporting leaders like Boeing and others in delivering smarter, faster, and more traceable manufacturing.

👉 Book a demo or get in touch with our team to see what we can do together.

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📖 Read the full case study: We Saved Boeing 90% of Their Pre-Production Time