The 1 m diameter part was manufactured in nickel alloy 718 using a GE Additive machine carrying out a direct metal laser melting (DMLM) 3D printing process.
The team, which includes Hamburg and Dresden universities of technology, and software company Autodesk, was selected as part of a program led by the European Commission and the European aeronautics industry to develop more environmentally friendly aircraft.
According to GE, the turbine center frame combines over 150 parts into one and making it with additive manufacturing (AM) reduced cost and weight by 30% when compared to conventional casting.
The frame is designed for narrow-body engines in which the part is approximately 1 m or more in diameter.
