3D-printed mini jet engine triumphs

China successfully completed the maiden flight of a domestically developed ultralightweight miniature jet engine, which was entirely manufactured using 3D printing technology.

The achievement marks a breakthrough in advanced propulsion design and manufacturing, according to the engine's developer.

The test flight took place on Tuesday in the Inner Mongolia autonomous region, reaching a maximum altitude of 4,000 meters. It comprehensively demonstrated the operational reliability and stability of the engine under authentic flight conditions, Aero Engine Corporation of China said in a statement on Wednesday night.

The engine represents China's first-ever flight-validated turbojet engine in the 160-kilogram thrust class to be manufactured entirely using multi-disciplinary topology optimization additive manufacturing (3D printing) techniques, the AECC said.

"This successful inaugural flight lays a more solid technical foundation for the research and development of future advanced aviation engines in China," it said.

The core innovation lies in the revolutionary integration of advanced design methodologies with 3D printing capabilities, filling a crucial domestic gap in the full-engine engineering application of this specific technology direction, AECC noted.

The research team pioneered the application of multi-disciplinary topology optimization specifically tailored for 3D printing. This approach, coupled with an integrated component design, allowed for a dramatic reduction in overall engine weight and a significant enhancement in critical performance metrics, the corporation said.

Before the flight, the engine had undergone and passed rigorous ground-based verification testing to ensure that performance meets all targets and the validated service life is sufficient, it added.

Xinhua