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About our Speakers

  • Leslie Peter, CEO Metro Aerospace IMTS 2018Leslie Peters, President & CEO, Metro Aerospace

    As CEO of Metro Aerospace, Leslie Peters brings more than 30 years of executive leadership structuring and executing mission critical business strategies in global marketplaces. She combines operational excellence with sales leadership, for small and large organizations, developing controls to improve profitability and increase revenue while maintaining strong customer relationships. Peters’ career has centered on industries including automotive and aerospace, where she built strategic relationships with customers such as GE, UTC, Rolls-Royce, Lockheed Martin, Volkswagen, Daimler, and Ford Motor Co.

  • Bryan Newbrite, 3D Systems, IMTS 2018Bryan Newbrite, Advanced Aerospace Applications Leader, 3D Systems

    Bryan Newbrite is the Advanced Aerospace Applications Leader for 3D Systems where he is working to industrialize and implement disruptive manufacturing technologies into established aerospace supply chains. Prior to 3D Systems, Bryan brought his expertise to bear at GE, most recently in Dubai to support the GE EA fleet for Emirates Airlines. Bryan holds a B.S. in Aerospace Engineering from Embry-Riddle Aeronautical University. He is based in San Diego, California.

Metro Aerospace Intruduces 3D Printed Part for Fuel Efficiency in Aerospace

In the aerospace industry, the slightest design improvement can have a staggering impact on the efficiency of flight, which is why aerospace manufacturers dedicate tremendous time and talent to advanced engineering. Sometimes small modifications pay off big time, as is the case with the new 3D printed microvanes, a drag-reduction and performance enhancement technology recently commercialized by Texas minority-owned business Metro Aerospace. Developed for the C-130/L-100 aircraft, the microvanes are adhesively fastened on both sides of an aircraft’s fuselage and are designed to reduce drag by reshaping airflow around the aft cargo door.

3D Systems’ On Demand Manufacturing team helped Metro Aerospace take the microvanes from a prototype into a production part with uncommon speed. Offering production support at any stage of product development, 3D Systems’ On Demand Manufacturing experts deliver quick, high quality parts ranging from fast turn and advanced prototypes to appearance models and low volume production. Using Selective Laser Sintering (SLS) and DuraForm® GF, a glass-filled nylon, 3D Systems’ On Demand team in Tulsa, OK, worked closely with Metro Aerospace to successfully complete a first article inspection report. This validated that all manufacturing requirements and part specifications were executed exactly as prescribed on qualified SLS machines.

To learn more, please download the case study! 

Contact 3D Systems' On Demand Manufacturing experts