Honeywell is leveraging Prodways’ advanced 3D printing technology to significantly expedite the development of a new generation of turbofan engines. The innovative use of ceramic 3D printed moulds marks a pioneering step for the jet engine manufacturer, traditionally reliant on the complex investment casting process for turbine blade production.
Revolutionizing Turbine Blade Manufacturing
Turbine blades, essential components of jet engines, are typically produced through a labor-intensive investment casting process. This involves creating ceramic moulds with precisely machined metal dies and tooling, a capability limited to only a few foundries worldwide. Honeywell’s adoption of Prodways’ CERAM PRO 365 3D printing system enables direct printing of these ceramic moulds using a high-resolution vat-based process with ceramic slurry.
Installed at Honeywell’s additive manufacturing center in Phoenix in 2023, the CERAM PRO 365 system reduces both the lead time and costs associated with producing the first-stage high-pressure turbine blades. This technological shift transforms the manufacturing timeline from years to mere weeks.
Accelerating Development with Additive Manufacturing
“With the conventional investment casting process, it can take 1-2 years to produce the turbine blades needed for the development process,” explained Mike Baldwin, Principal R&D Scientist at Honeywell. “Additive manufacturing lets us take the design, print the mould, cast it, test it, and get real numbers to validate our models – and the whole process takes just 7-8 weeks. If we need to tweak the design, we can change it electronically and get another blade in about six weeks.”
This rapid prototyping capability not only accelerates development but also offers greater flexibility, allowing Honeywell to quickly iterate designs and optimize performance. The shift to additive manufacturing is expected to save several million dollars in development costs compared to traditional casting methods.
Consistent and Efficient Production
Prodways Group CEO Michaël Ohana highlighted the compatibility of their 3D printers with Honeywell’s needs: “Our 3D printers are a perfect match for this use case. We can process ceramics slurries to build a large number of parts in a single day and deliver consistent manufacturing results at every print.”
The partnership between Honeywell and Prodways underscores a significant advancement in manufacturing technology, enabling faster, more cost-effective production of high-performance turbine blades. This innovation not only shortens development cycles but also positions Honeywell to deliver superior products to its customers more efficiently.
