Sealant ARE™

Overview
PPG ARE™ (Ambient Reactive Extrusion) 3D printed sealants provide preformed, on‑demand aerospace gaskets and sealing parts manufactured from polysulfide and polythioether chemistries. These solutions focus on repeatable dimensional accuracy, reduced waste and faster installation cycles tailored to aircraft maintenance and production environments.

Preformed Sealants Using PPG ARE™ 3D Printing Technology
Preformed gaskets and sealant geometries are produced via ambient reactive extrusion and delivered ready to fit, removing the need for manual smoothing or on‑aircraft shaping. Parts can be digitized, printed and shipped on demand once design and fit are validated.

Why Choose PPG ARE™ 3D Printed Sealants

• Accelerated installation times: Installation times can be reduced by up to 90%; automated production enables application up to 10× faster than conventional methods.
• Potential cost savings: Reduced labor and material waste improve project economics and lower total cost of ownership.
• Commitment to sustainability: ARE™ processes are designed to minimize production waste through on‑demand printing and precise material usage.
• Precision and quality: Produces uniform, dimensionally accurate parts that reduce grinding, trimming and rework.

Features

• Rapid‑cure formulations
• High‑performance aerospace chemistries
• Fuel‑resistant variants (example: PR‑2001 tested to AMS 3277)
• Maintains elastomeric properties after prolonged fuel exposure
• Resistance to water, alcohols, petroleum and synthetic oils, and petroleum‑based hydraulics
• Pre‑formable sealant options
• Large, adaptable production printers for on‑demand output
• Compatibility for creating preformed parts using other approved products

Benefits

• Faster cure and reduced application cycle time
• Performance suited to demanding aerospace environments
• Durable fuel resistance for fuel‑system and nearby applications
• Retention of flexibility and sealing integrity after fuel exposure
• Broad chemical resistance increases application range
• Preformed parts simplify selection and fitment
• Adaptable production enables tailored solutions and scale
• Collaborative development for application‑specific parts

Versatile Applications

• Fuel tanks and tank interfaces
• Wing seals and wing pads
• Door and window seals
• Thermal barriers and insulation interfaces
• Custom seal caps and gaskets

Aircraft Applications (examples)

• Wing seals
• Wing pads
• Door seals
• Window seals
• Fuel tank seals
• Fuel tank gaskets
• Cockpit seals and gaskets
• Gap fillets and smoothing pads
• Large fit‑in‑place gaskets
• Dust gaskets and complex seals
• O‑rings and customized sealing mats
• Flange seals

Process — Four Steps to Develop a 3D Printed, Preformed Part

• Step 1 — Discovery (Application review): Onsite assessment to identify sealing opportunities and constraints for the specific aircraft area.
• Step 2 — Design (Engineering): Create or import CAD/scan data, digitize and optimize geometry for printing and fit.
• Step 3 — Prototype (Fit check and testing): Produce prototypes for customer fit checks and any required additional testing.
• Step 4 — Production delivery (On‑demand production): Approved designs are automated for production; parts are printed and shipped on demand.

Approved Sealants and Adhesives for Printing

• PR‑1425® aerospace sealant
• PR‑1425 CF aerospace sealant
• PR‑1429
• PR‑1440® (AMS‑S‑8802) aerospace sealant
• PR‑1750® (AMS 3276) aerospace sealant
• PR‑1829
• P/S 890® aerospace sealant
• P/S 870® (Mil‑PRF‑81733) aerospace sealant
• P/S 872
• PR‑2001® aerospace sealant
• PR‑2001® LW (AMS 3277) aerospace sealant
• PR‑1764® aerospace sealant
• PR‑2201
• PR‑1995
• PR‑2936® aerospace sealant
• PR‑2937

Technical characteristics / specifications

• Technology: Ambient Reactive Extrusion (ARE™) additive manufacturing for sealants
• Materials: polysulfide and polythioether gasket chemistries
• Curing: Rapid‑cure capability to reduce application cycle time
• Fuel resistance: Certain formulations certified/tested to aerospace standards (example: PR‑2001 tested to AMS 3277)
• Specification references: PR‑1440 (AMS‑S‑8802), PR‑1750 (AMS 3276), P/S 870 (Mil‑PRF‑81733), PR‑2001 LW (AMS 3277)
• Durability: Maintains elastomeric properties after prolonged exposure to organic fuels
• Chemical resistance: Water, alcohols, petroleum/synthetic lubricating oils and petroleum‑based hydraulic fluids
• Production: Large, adaptable production printer enabling on‑demand printing and preforming of sealants
• Application: Eliminates manual smoothing of sealant; can be printed and shipped on demand once design is approved
• Supply: Selected printed parts may carry national stock numbers (NSN)