Boeing Protects Its 3D Printed Intellectual Property with Assembrix Software

Boeing is heavily involved in 3D printing, using multiple vendors to 3D print parts for aircraft such as the Dreamliner. But with such collaboration comes risk. While the vendors themselves may be perfectly trustworthy, electronic communication and transfer of parts carries the risk that hackers will intercept the information, stealing or altering intellectual property, which could be disastrous. So Boeing has signed a Memorandum of Agreement (MoA) with Assembrix, a company specializing in software that protects and secures data as it is being transferred between parties.

Assembrix’s cloud-based platform will allow Boeing to transmit additive manufacturing design information using secure distribution methods that protect data from being intercepted, corrupted or decrypted during distribution and manufacturing. The platform oversees the entire additive manufacturing thread, from the original part model to the verified physical part and beyond. It also allows for allocation and monitoring of 3D printers for multiple in-house users or outside clients, offering a fully automated and self-controlled process, leading to higher print utilization and ROI.

“This agreement expands Boeing’s ties to Israeli industry while helping companies like Assembrix expand their business,” said Boeign Israel President David Ivry. “Boeing seeks suppliers globally who meet stringent quality, schedule, cost and intellectual capital, and Assembrix does all of that.”

Boeing is currently using additive manufacturing at 20 of its sites and has suppliers all over the world, using them for 3D printed parts for its commercial, space and defense platforms. In addition to using 3D printed parts for the Dreamliner, Boeing has also recently commissioned them for its space taxis, satellites, and much more. The company has big goals including supersonic flights and transport to Mars, and 3D printing will help it more effectively pursue those goals, especially now that the technology is protected and secured by Assembrix’s software.

“We are pleased to partner with Boeing and value its confidence in us and in our capabilities,” said Assembrix CEO Lior Polak. “This collaboration supports our vision to develop and implement innovative solutions that connect the world and take the additive manufacturing digital thread one step forward.”

Assembrix is based in Israel and specializes in solutions for the aerospace, automotive and medical industries. Those solutions include Assembrix VMS, Assembrix Prepare, Assembrix Quote and Assembrix API. Boeing joins a growing list of customers that have used the Assembrix platform for secure, quick and simple quoting and communication, and for the management and protection of intellectual property.

“A growing number of our customers are successfully using the unique virtual 3D printers’ solution laid out by Assembrix, empowering them to readily send us prints of any size,” said Lavi Lev of customer UCT. “The innovative infrastructure allows UCT Singapore to allocate virtual manufacturing volumes in its 3D printers, and for our clients, industrial manufacturers, it enables sharing their designs, in an Airbnb-like ecosystem. In all, the system saves time and money, facilitates seamless communication with clients, optimizes planning and automates price quoting capabilities.”

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