Parts of the engine were made using printers that spread a very thin layer of metal powder across a base plate, building the shape from a computer-generated template with lasers.
The machines were displayed for the first time at an International Air Show in Avalon, Victoria, Australia.
“The project is a spectacular proof of concept that’s leading to significant contracts with aerospace companies,” said Ben Batagol, of Amaero Engineering, a company associated with Monash on the project.
“It was a challenge for the team and pushed the technology to new heights of success – no one has printed an entire engine commercially yet,” he told reporters.
The project has taken two years and was launched when French aerospace company Safran. gave the Monash researchers an old engine to copy.
The project was led by Professor Xinhua Wu, Director of the Monash Centre for Additive Manufacturing.
Originally published by Cosmos as Australian researchers create 3D-printed jet engine
Bill Condie
Bill Condie is a science journalist based in Adelaide, Australia.
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