GE’s 3D printed engine sets new 3D printing record
As the quality and durability of 3D printed parts increases it is inevitable that more organisations will embrace the technology and reap the benefits
Key takeaways
- Furthermore, as a result of the new manufacturing process they managed to realise a 5 percent reduction in weight and a 1 percent increase in fuel efficiency.
- The advantage of 3D printing is that engine prototypes can be built much faster.
- The ATP combustor rigs, for example, were completed six months early, with the combustor liners printed in just two days compared to two months using conventional manufacturing techniques.
Cite or link to this article
Griffin, M. (2016) 'GE’s 3D printed engine sets new 3D printing record', 311 Institute, 23 November. Available at: https://www.311institute.com/ges-3d-printed-engine-sets-new-3d-printing-record/ (Accessed: 1 October 2026).
While many people might think that we should have been able to 3D print entire engines, and other industrial equipment, a long time ago the reality is that until recently 3D printers haven't been able to print parts durable enough for industrial applications. Now though, with GE Aviation have announced that they've managed to use 3D printing to set a new aerospace record by managing to 3D print 35 percent of the parts for their latest Advanced Turboprop (ATP) for the Cessna Denali single engine aircraft, that looks like it's about to change. Furthermore, as a result of the new manufacturing process they managed to realise a 5 percent reduction in weight and a 1 percent increase in fuel efficiency.
The final ATP, which GE estimate will use 20 percent less fuel for 10 percent more cruise power, will be derived from a GE technology demonstrator engine called the a-CT7 which itself uses components 3D printed at GE Aviation's Additive Development Center (ADC) in Cincinnati, Ohio.
Designed, built and tested in 18 months, the a-CT7 saw 900 conventionally made parts reduced to just 16 printed parts and the final a-CT7 will see those 16 parts reduced even further to just 12, which include the sumps, bearing housings, frames, exhaust case, combustor liner, heat exchangers and stationary flowpath component.
The advantage of 3D printing is that engine prototypes can be built much faster. The ATP combustor rigs, for example, were completed six months early, with the combustor liners printed in just two days compared to two months using conventional manufacturing techniques. This means that new innovations can be bought to market much, much faster giving GE a competitive advantage in the market space and in addition the parts used can be of a single, simpler design which will help to reduce complexity and maintenance time. All win wins.
"With subtractive manufactured parts and assemblies, you traditionally use bolts, welds or other interfaces to attach the parts together, which adds weight to the engine," says Gordon Follin, ATP Engineering GM at GE Aviation, "on the ATP, additive manufacturing reduces weight by eliminating those attaching features while also optimizing design of the parts."
GE Aviation says the first complete ATP engine will begin testing at the end of next year and the later versions will use even more printed parts.
Introducing the new ATP engine
What this means for your organisation
Speed is the real prize.
GE printed combustor liners in two days, against two months by conventional methods. The combustor rigs finished six months early. Teams that can test a new design in days will learn faster than rivals who wait months.
Fewer parts means less to maintain.
The a-CT7 demonstrator cut 900 conventionally made parts to 16 printed parts, and the final engine will use 12. Printing removes bolts, welds and other joins, which saves weight. A single, simpler part also reduces complexity and maintenance time.
Durability is now the test.
Printed parts were long held back because they were not tough enough for industrial use. Our data rates 3D printing at TRL 9, with wide use expected by 2036. Engine groundings and fuel rules raise the stakes, so firms should prove printed parts in service before they commit.
Three questions for your next leadership meeting
- Which of our parts could be redesigned as one printed piece?
- How much would faster prototyping shorten our time to market?
- What evidence of durability would we need before printed parts enter service?
The trends and technologies behind this story
From the 311 Starburst, the 311 Strategic Intelligence Unit’s map of the technologies and trends shaping the next 50 years.
Analysis by the 311 Strategic Intelligence Unit, from Matthew Griffin’s article and 311 data. First published on Fanatical Futurist.
FAQ
Why does this matter?
As the quality and durability of 3D printed parts increases it is inevitable that more organisations will embrace the technology and reap the benefits
About the author
Matthew Griffin Founder, President and Futurist, 311 Institute
Matthew Griffin is a multi-award winning Futurist and expert in Disruption and Innovation, Geopolitics, Leadership, and Technology, who NASA have described as a "walking encyclopaedia of the future" and a "futurist Polymath."
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Matthew Griffin is a multi-award winning Futurist and expert in Disruption and Innovation, Geopolitics, Leadership, and Technology, who NASA have described as a "walking encyclopaedia of the future" and a "futurist Polymath." 17-time best selling author of the "Codex of the Future" series, Matthew is the Founder, President and Futurist of the 311 Institute, a global Futures and Deep Futures advisory firm working with royal households, world leaders, G7, G20, and G77 governments, NGOs, and multi-national mid and mega cap firms to help them explore, shape, and lead the next 50 years of business and society.
An award-winning YouTube creator with over a million followers, with an unrivalled global reach and impact, Matthew is a highly sought-after international keynote speaker, lecturer, and mentor who collaborates with global leaders through the United Nations Alliance of Civilizations (UNAOC) and United Nations General Assembly (UNGA) to shape pivotal initiatives such as the UN’s AI for Humanity programme, the United Nations Conference of the Parties (UN COP), and the World Economic Forum in Davos.
As the former Global Head of Cloud, National Security, and Enterprise Sales for companies including Atos, Dell-EMC, and IBM, Matthew has a proven track record of building multi-billion dollar business units and turning failing divisions into market leaders. His ability to identify, analyse, and communicate the implications of hundreds of emerging technologies and trends is unparalleled, and his insights are trusted by many of the world’s most respected organisations, including ABB, Accenture, Adidas, AON, ARM, BCG, Centrica, Citi, Coca-Cola, Dentons, Deloitte, Dow Jones, EY, Google, KPMG, Lego, Legal & General, LinkedIn, Microsoft, PepsiCo, Qualcomm, RWE, Samsung, Siemens AG and Siemens Energy, T-Mobile, UBS, VISA, Walmart, Workday, Worldpay and many others.
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Source: first published by the 311 Institute on 23 November 2016. Cite as: Griffin, M. (2016). GE’s 3D printed engine sets new 3D printing record. 311 Institute. https://www.311institute.com/ges-3d-printed-engine-sets-new-3d-printing-record/
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