SLM Solutions announced the sale of two additional SLM 500 systems to Rolls Royce, British multinational aerospace and defence company. These additional machines are part of the pre-production ramp up for the Pearl®10X. Rolls-Royce is transferring their expertise and knowledge from single laser solutions to multi-laser platforms.
The Pearl®10X is the most powerful member of the market-leading Pearl engine family, and it was specifically designed for the Dassault Falcon 10X, a high-tech jet aircraft.
Rolls-Royce remains the world’s leading engine supplier in the business jet market, with over 3,600 business jets powered by Rolls-Royce engines in service.
SLM 500 systems to Rolls Royce
Rolls-Royce will use the SLM 500 systems to manufacture aero engine components. They will 3D print complex combustor tiles, achieving valuable weight and emission reductions and ultimately contributing to the world-class environmental performance of the Pearl®10X an overall 5% increase in efficiency for the Pearl®10X compared to its predecessor.
Richard Mellor, Rolls-Royce Chief Manufacturing Engineer for Additive Layer Manufacturing, says ’Additive layer manufacturing enables the delivery of complex high-performing assemblies which cannot be manufactured using conventional techniques. For example, these combustor tiles include cooling holes which turn the air through 180 degrees maximising efficiency whilst reducing emissions. This repeat order reflects the close and successful relationship between the Rolls-Royce and SLM teams.”
The AMPOWER Report 2022 predicts that system sales will triple to more than EUR 250 million by 2026, indicating that the industrialization of additive manufacturing within the broader civil aviation sector will gain traction in the coming years.
“Having a high-profile company such as Rolls-Royce as a returning customer is really gratifying. We are committed to forging relationships like these with our team of experts every step of the way, ensuring our customers’ success through close collaboration.”
– Sam O’Leary, CEO, SLM Solutions
SLM®500, the market’s first quad-laser metal system, can integrate lasers independently or in parallel to increase build rates by 90% over twin laser configurations. A closed-loop powder handling strategy with an automated powder sieve and supply separates the machine operator and the powder. The exchangeable build cylinder, designed for serial production, allows for the shortest possible fire to fire times, reducing machine downtime to a bare minimum.
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