Powder bed technology paving the way to replace complex engine castings

Case study

The challenge:

  • Material difficulties: Manufacturing large components using Titanium alloy (Ti-6Al-4V) is historically difficult due to material handling constraints.
  • Stress management: High thermal processes in additive manufacturing naturally introduce severe residual stresses into structural parts.
  • Scale restrictions: The physical size of a next-generation aircraft engine casing strains standard 3D printing build envelopes.

The solution:

Our Engines division, in collaboration with our Global Technology Centres in Sweden and the UK and machine supplier SLM Solutions pioneered an innovative multi-step additive manufacturing approach.
  • Advanced LPBF technology: Utilized high-precision laser energy to fuse thin layers of metal powder into complex geometric shapes.
  • Segmented design: Divided the 30k ICC design into four optimized sectors to minimize residual stresses during the build.
  • Hybrid assembly: Printed the individual sectors separately and securely welded them together into the final full-scale component.

The results & impact

  • 77% carbon reduction: Lowered total carbon emissions by up to 77% compared to traditional casting techniques.
  • Material efficiency: Drastically reduced raw material waste during production.
  • Future-proof sustainability: Validated a production loop capable of utilizing "greener" powders recycled directly from machining chips.