The Aero Engine Corporation of China (AECC) has 3D printed what it calls a micro turbojet engine. This isn’t a model or replica print—this is the real deal. This 3D printed micro turbojet engine actually works and successfully flew when recently tested. This information comes to us from Global Times, which shared details from the official AECC WeChat page.
The announcement came on Wednesday when AECC confirmed the test flight took place in North China’s Inner Mongolia Autonomous Region. According to Global Times, the engine was developed independently, but details are sparse. We know that some of the unit is 3D printed, but we aren’t sure how much of it is and which components.
According to the developers, the key to the engine design was “multidisciplinary topological optimization.” The overall weight of the engine had to be reduced, which was something that could be better managed when 3D printing by changing certain print parameters. This proved to be crucial in reaching certain performance goals.
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When testing the 3D printed engine, it managed to reach 4,000 meters (nearly 2.5 miles) of altitude above sea level. The setup also managed to launch with a thrust level of 160kg (over 350lbs). The team believes they are the first to successfully fly a test run using their 3D-printed engine.