As one of the world's leading manufacturers of jet engines, Rolls-Royce has been manufacturing jet engines for nearly half a century.
SLM Solutions specializes in metal additive manufacturing technology and advanced multi-laser systems. Many years of experience with multi-laser optical systems and patented bi-directional recoating mechanisms make selective laser melting systems the most efficient products on the market. The SLM®500 has four lasers that can achieve build speeds of up to 171 cm3. It is the flagship metal 3D printer for high-volume production. It also provides automatic closed-loop material supply, recycling and screening, minimizing operator handling of metal powder. .
Rolls-Royce chose the SLM®500 four-laser machine (specific parameters can be viewed in the global 3D printing product library) to help develop its additive manufacturing capabilities. These machines will play a significant role in helping Rolls-Royce compete with additive manufacturing for aerospace components.
Speed and safety are common requirements, but aerospace is a challenging manufacturing environment because rigorous certification processes require reliable, high-standard part quality. "Rolls-Royce is very advanced in additive manufacturing, using state-of-the-art methods and a team of experts working on extremely complex metal additive manufacturing solutions," said Meddah Hadjar, CEO of SLM Solutions Group AG. "SLM Solutions recognizes that Rolls-Royce requires supplier support equipment certification. We work closely to develop products that meet their needs to ensure aerospace certified part quality levels. In this way, the Rolls-Royce team can document Their expertise and control of the system, adhere to strict regulations, and maintain ambitious and innovative additive production plans. "
Rolls-Royce needed a multi-laser system to meet its productivity needs and maintain the strict quality controls previously established. This also prompted them to adopt the four-laser SLM®500, which was the first four-laser machine launched on the market in 2013. The key to their choice of SLM solution as a supplier was to control the inert gas flow to maintain a controlled work environment in the building room. The Rolls-Royce team conducted a rigorous investigation of the gas flow and control in the multi-laser machine because it is directly related to the build quality, and the sintered wall airflow of the SLM Solutions machine met their needs in a compact footprint.
"We are excited to partner with SLM Solutions and use their four-laser machine," commented Neil Mantle, Rolls-Royce's head of additive manufacturing. "Continue to develop our additive manufacturing capabilities to ensure we are at the forefront of advanced manufacturing. We know that transferring our expertise and knowledge from a single laser machine to a multi-laser platform requires a close working relationship, and SLM solutions provide This technology. "
Rolls-Royce Aerospace Metal 3D Printing Application
As early as 2015, Rolls-Royce successfully piloted an Airbus with their strongest jet engine, and a key to this success was the new engine's use of advanced airfoil components made using 3D printing .
The tested engine using 3D printed parts is the company's latest XWB-97 (prototype), which is specifically designed for the A350-1000, which is larger than the A350 XWB, and is expected to be officially put into use in 2017. The engine development project started 2 years ago, and this test flight was its first success (in this test, the prototype of the XWB-97 replaced the original 4 Rolls-Royce Trent 900 series engines One of them). This is not only a milestone for this type of engine, but also the first successful test flight of the world's largest 3D printed aircraft engine structure.
"This is undoubtedly a great day for the entire XWB team and Rolls-Royce. The Trent XWB series has always been designed according to the high-thrust concept. It is an improvement from the -84 series. Later, we will The relevant experience is used in the core optimization of the A350-1000. This means our customers will get a stronger engine. "Said Andy Gwynne, chief engineer of Trent XWB-97.
The previous-generation Trent XWB engine was the XWB-84, which as the name suggests can provide 84,000 pounds of take-off thrust, while the new XWB-97 can increase this number to 97,000 with a small amount of additional energy consumption. Among them, the 3D printed airfoils on the front bearing seat of the engine play an important role because they make the engine lighter and produce more thrust. These airfoils are the largest 3D printed parts ever integrated into a jet engine and are made by a 3D printing process jointly developed by Rolls Royce and the University of Sheffield in the United Kingdom.