Lufthansa Technik 3D Prints Titanium Cabin Latches With Materialise

Lufthansa Technik Turns to 3D Printing for Cabin Spares

Lufthansa Technik has started flying 3D-printed titanium cabin latches on Airbus widebodies after partnering with Belgium-based Materialise. The parts replace a polymer latch that kept failing on A330s, A340s, and A380s and could not be bought individually from OEMs.

The original injection-molded polymer latch retained the roller brake and end cap in the galley roller shutter assembly. Over time, the plastic simply was not strong enough for the wear it saw in service. When a latch failed, mechanics had to replace the entire roller shutter assembly. Those assemblies cost four figures each.

Why Titanium, Why Now

Lufthansa Technik's additive manufacturing team identified the latch as a good candidate for metal 3D printing. The company redesigned the component in Ti6Al4V titanium alloy and selected Materialise to manufacture it. Materialise produced the parts at its EN 9100-certified metal competence center in Bremen, Germany, using laser powder bed fusion.

The two companies started discussions in fall 2025. Parts are already flying. The new titanium latch is expected to last far longer than the polymer original, and it can be ordered as a single component rather than forcing a full assembly swap.

What This Says About Aviation AM

Aviation regulators have eased the certification burden for polymer additive parts over the past decade as more operational data accumulated. Metal parts are now following the same path. Low-criticality applications like cabin hardware are proving ground for the technology.

For Materialise, the Lufthansa Technik project adds another aerospace reference and opens the door to more complex metal AM work. The two companies have partnered for years, and Materialise is now listed as an official workbench for metal parts by Lufthansa Technik.