3D Printing Cuts Costs for F-35 Training Simulator Housings

For more than 15 years, Wraith Systems has built desktop flight controls that replicate the feel of real fighter jet cockpits. Its Hands-On Throttle-And-Stick (HOTAS) systems are used by military pilots and simulation enthusiasts who need hardware that looks and behaves like the real thing.

Founder Jason McAlister flew AV-8B Harriers during his military career and later worked at Lockheed Martin on pilot training aids. That background gave him a clear view of what was missing from consumer flight controls: they did not feel like the actual F-35 stick and throttle he knew.

Through 2022 and into 2023, demand for Wraith's products grew. At that point, the economics of manufacturing the housings started to shift. Injection moulding would have locked the company into large upfront costs and long lead times. Machining would have worked, but it was slow and expensive at the volumes Wraith needed.

The company turned to additive manufacturing. Working with technology from 3D Systems, Wraith began printing the housings in polymer. The switch cut costs considerably compared to machining. It also gave the team the freedom to iterate on design without waiting for tooling.

The result is a flight-representative desktop HOTAS suitable for F-35 Lightning II pilot training. The parts are built at volumes that would never justify injection moulds, yet they hold the tolerances and durability needed for regular use.

This is the kind of work that does not make headlines. It does not involve billion-dollar factory investments or mass-market consumer products. But it shows how additive manufacturing has quietly become the right answer for low-to-medium volume production runs that fall between traditional manufacturing methods.

Wraith's experience is a practical data point for anyone evaluating whether 3D printing belongs in their supply chain. The answer, in this case, is yes.