A group of engineers at General Electric (GE) has developed a mini jet engine with a 3D printer that melts powdered metal.

According to a report, the mini jet engine has the ability to rotate 33,000 times per minute. The group consists of technicians and engineers from the Additive Development Center at General Electric Aviation.

Like Us on Facebook

Using this new method to manufacture engine components, according to the GE website, takes less time compared to conventional approaches.

One of the engineers said, "We wanted to see if we could build a little engine that runs almost entirely out of additive manufacturing parts."

"This was a fun side project," he added.

The printing process used by the engineers to create the mini jet engine is called Direct Metal Laser Melting (DMLM).

Engineer David Bartosik said the benefit of using this printing process is that it enables manufacturers to redesign the components with new geometries.

Greg Morris said, "Additive provides the ability to create geometry that cannot be made any other way."

"For the aerospace industry, additive is particularly attractive because it can create components in materials that are commonly used in aerospace such as nickel-based alloys, Titanium, etc."

"And we can make those parts with structures that provide design benefits, such as lattice structures that allow for substantial weight reductions, yet do not compromise the mechanical integrity of the part." Morris added.

Chinese scientists from the Chinese Academy of Sciences in Beijing had unveiled a new liquid-phase 3D printing method last year. Their method uses a metal alloy ink to allow the rapid manufacturing of 3D objects.

The use of additive manufacturing or 3D printing technology has also been getting a lot of attention in the automotive industry.

Earlier this year, researchers from the Department of Energy at Oak Ridge National Laboratory (ORNL) in the U.S. had successfully 3D printed a 1965 Shelby sports car. As part of the car's 50^th anniversary, the ORNL researchers have intended to showcase the potential use of additive manufacturing for the automotive industry.

Tags3D Print Mini Jet Engine, 3D printing technology, Metal Powder, General Electric, GE, 3D-printer, Additive Manufacturing, engineers, Direct Metal Laser Melting, DMLM