The largest component ever built using AM will flight-test in 2015

According to Flightglobal, “Rolls Royce will flight test later this year a Trent XWB-97 engine fitted with what it claims is the largest component ever built using additive layer manufacturing.” The XWB-97 is the world’s most efficient large civil aero engine and is is the sole powerplant for the Airbus A350-1000 aircraft.

“The titanium structure is a 1.5m-diameter and 0.5m-thick front bearing housing containing 48 aerofoils, manufactured” using technology of our partner, Arcam. “The project is a key step towards proving the industrial viability of the process, which it says could trim 30% like for like manufacturing lead time.“

The company doesn’t want to give any dates regarding the use of ALM components for industrial manufacturing but even before, the benefits of being able to build prototypes quicker and spend more time on design (and being able to produce them) will serve the company .
Rolls-Royce has already used ALM for 5 years to repair components. 
The University of Sheffield, the Manufacturing Technology Center and Arcam are active part of the project.

Read the full article (by Murdo Morrisson), here.