In Samara, scientists develop 3D printer to ‘bake’ aircraft parts
With new technologies, the scientists can use exactly as much material as needed to produce a new part, no waste
Sep 18, 2015
Scientists in Samara, in the Volga area, are fine-tuning their technology of making aircraft components using a special 3D printer. At the Samara State Aerospace University (SSAU), the components are simply "baked" from metal powder, the Russian news agency TASS reported.
"We have used a 3D laser sintering system to produce our first parts for a small-sized gas-turbine aircraft engine. A combustion chamber and turbine, ‘grown’ in our printer, are being tested now," SSAU announced.
According to Vitaly Smelov of SSAU’s additive technology laboratory, each component took about 10 hours to complete. After testing they may be used in a real engine.
With new technologies, the scientists can use exactly as much material as needed to produce a new part, no waste, Mr. Smelov said.
Manufacturing such parts conventionally takes a substantial amount of time; in traditional production, a part may take three-to-six months to evolve from a concept to an end product ready for use. With the printing, about 48 hours are only required.
To develop Russia’s first high-capacity 3D printer for metal parts SSAU has pooled efforts with colleagues from the St. Petersburg Peter the Great Polytechnic University.
"We have used a 3D laser sintering system to produce our first parts for a small-sized gas-turbine aircraft engine. A combustion chamber and turbine, ‘grown’ in our printer, are being tested now," SSAU announced.
According to Vitaly Smelov of SSAU’s additive technology laboratory, each component took about 10 hours to complete. After testing they may be used in a real engine.
With new technologies, the scientists can use exactly as much material as needed to produce a new part, no waste, Mr. Smelov said.
Manufacturing such parts conventionally takes a substantial amount of time; in traditional production, a part may take three-to-six months to evolve from a concept to an end product ready for use. With the printing, about 48 hours are only required.
To develop Russia’s first high-capacity 3D printer for metal parts SSAU has pooled efforts with colleagues from the St. Petersburg Peter the Great Polytechnic University.