Fraunhofer Institute for Laser Technology ILT Wins Aviation Week Award

Everyone likes to win awards, and in this case it’s nice to see additive manufacturing starting to get some industry props. Each year, Aviation Week hands out awards in the aerospace and defense industries. This year the Fraunhofer Institute for Laser Technology ILT has won the 2012 Innovation Challenge in the category of Power and Propulsion.

The award was the result of the Fraunhofer Institute’s work on bladed disks (blisks) that form the core of turbines. Using selective laser melting (SLM), the Institute was able to create a 3D printed blisk. Use of AM technology has reduced material consumption for blisks by around 60% and decreased the manufacturing time by around 30%.

Researchers at the Fraunhofer Institute are part of a team that includes the Fraunhofer Society and the German Federal State of North-Rhine Westphalia. The group is known collectively as Aachen Fraunhofer Cluster for Innovation, and conducts R&D on “Integrative Production Technology for Energy-Efficient Turbomachines.”

The process to create the blisks uses SLM to lay down a layer of nickel or titanium-based alloy, slowly building the compressor blades. Along with being less expensive and faster than traditional methods of manufacturing, using AM in the creation of aerospace parts creates an opportunity to build lighter products, with a net result being better fuel consumption and a smaller environmental footprint.

Aerospace seems to be turning to AM more and more often to solve problems. For more information about how AM is transforming the aerospace industry check out these Rapid Ready Tech posts here and here.

Below you’ll find a video about how turbine engines work. The methods involved are subtractive, but I think you’ll still find the overview informative.

Source: Industrial Laser Solutions