Eplus3D, leading industrial 3D printer manufacturer, and LEAP 71, global technology company, long-time collaborators in metal 3D printing and Computational Engineering, recently marked a significant milestone with the joint production of the world’s largest Metal 3D Printed Rocket Thruster. This is a single-piece thruster that stands more than 1.3 meters tall.
Visitors will be able to see the 200 kN thruster at Eplus3D booth: Hall 12.0, Booth E101 at the Formnext 2024.
Largest Metal 3D Printed Rocket Thruster
LEAP71 created the 200 kN thruster using the Noyron Large Computational Engineering Model. Noyron creates the first computational AI for designing complicated equipment by combining engineering knowledge, logic, physics, and production limitations.
The 200 kN thruster fuelled by cryogenic liquid oxygen and kerosene is 40 times more powerful than the Noyron TKL-5 rocket engine LEAP 71, which was successfully hot fired in June. It blends previously independent elements into a one bold design. It was additively built from AlSi10Mg, a high-performance aluminium alloy, on an Eplus3D EP-M650-1600 Metal Powder Bed Fusion (MPBF™) printer utilising six 500-W lasers.
“LEAP 71’s computational models can design space hardware autonomously without the use of CAD. But limitations of current Additive Manufacturing (AM) processes, including the small build volumes of most industrial 3D printers, have continued to hold us back. I commend Eplus3D for pushing the limits, not only in print size, but also in terms of repeatability of high-quality end results, that exceeded our expectations.”
– Josefine Lissner, Managing Director of LEAP 71
The EP-M650H printer’s large build capacity of 650 x 650 x 1600 mm allowed LEAP 71 to design a fully integrated thruster geometry, which Eplus3D produced in a single 354-hour print session.
Technical Innovation
Traditionally, rocket thrusters are made up of multiple parts that must be integrated, sealed against hot gases, and individually quality assured. The exhibited thruster combines all engine components, including the combustion chamber, nozzle, cooling channels, manifolds, and structural parts, into a single 3D-printable part.
The engine was built using AlSi10Mg, a high-performance aluminium alloy. Aluminium is a difficult material for propulsion applications due to its low melting point and reactivity with oxygen.
The rocket motor has a dual heat-management technique, with cryogenic liquid oxygen regeneratively cooling the main combustion chamber and kerosene fuel for the upper portion of the nozzle. The layer height of 60µm was chosen to minimise the roughness of the channel walls and reduce pressure loss due to friction.
Pioneering the Future of Aerospace with Metal 3D Printing
The successful creation of this rocket engine illustrates Eplus3D’s ability to print massive, sophisticated pieces. It emphasises the significant experience in process R&D. By accurately optimising the printing parameters for high-performance materials, Eplus3D has increased print accuracy and surface quality to very high levels, resulting in a completed product that exceeds the thruster’s quality standards without the need for post processing.
The feat is a huge step forward in the progress of 3D printing technology, particularly for the aerospace industry. The successful collaboration between LEAP 71 and Eplus3D demonstrates the strength of Computational Engineering in building functionally integrated machinery with sophisticated structures, only possible through Additive Manufacturing. This breakthrough in close integration between design and manufacturing not only speeds up the creation of innovative aerospace components and systems, but it also creates new opportunities for innovation in other industries.
About LEAP 71: LEAP 71 is a global technology company headquartered in Dubai, UAE, pioneering the emerging field of Computational Engineering. Through advanced software algorithms, the company autonomously designs complex physical products. At the core of LEAP 71’s innovation is Noyron, a Large Computational Engineering Model that enables the rapid creation of sophisticated machinery without manual input.
About Eplus3D: Eplus3D is engaged in research and development of industrial-grade Additive Manufacturing systems and application technologies using with MPBF™ (Metal Powder Bed Fusion) and PPBF™ (Polymer Powder Bed Fusion) 3D printing technology. Eplus3D provides professional application solutions for the fields of aerospace & aviation, energy, oil & gas, automotive, tooling, healthcare, consumer goods and precision manufacturing.
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