Combining Design Optimization with Off-the-Shelf, Low-Cost, and Fully Validated Metal Alloys Brings Best of Both Worlds to Impeller Manufacturers
80%
material waste reduction
90%
cost reduction over conventional wax patterns
30x
faster time to market

Additive Manufacturing Produces Impellers Faster and More Efficiently Than Traditional Methods

A person holding a 3D printed impeller made from Direct Metal Printing

Industrial gas turbine impellers are expensive to produce via conventional manufacturing methods. The shapes are complex, the metals extremely challenging to cut, and engineers often have to make compromises in order to deliver cost-effective designs. This is especially true with ducted, high-performance impellers, which are more costly to produce due to their closed shape.

Two additive manufacturing alternatives offer significant advantages. Direct metal printing is an excellent alternative to machining from billet, reducing waste and lead times while eliminating constraints over part complexity. For larger impellers and higher volume parts in any alloy, 3D printed patterns for investment casting deliver the flexibility and economics of a tool-less workflow.

Improve Impeller Performance with Additive Manufacturing

  • a 3D rendering of an impeller

  • Greater Impeller Efficiency

    Additive manufacturing opens new levels of design complexity that would be very challenging to produce with conventional manufacturing. As such, more sophisticated ducted impellers can be produced to achieve increased efficiency to compress air. Topology optimization and lattice structure capabilities enable weight reductions of the massive impeller section, important for rotating parts.
  • A software rendering of an impeller

  • Rapid Design Iterations

    To anyone designing impellers, turbines, and similarly complex objects, the ability to quickly and inexpensively produce parts for form, fit, and function testing not only helps to optimize variables that affect gas and fluid flow performance, but also eliminates the risk that products might not perform as expected. With additive manufacturing, you have the capability to get functional prototypes in days instead of weeks, without tooling constraints.
  • a man holding and impeller

  • Reduced Costs and Faster Lead-Times

    Traditional manufacturing of impellers from billet can represent up to 80% of material waste. This is a costly process, especially with expensive alloys such as titanium. With the Direct Metal Printing additive manufacturing process, the material is transformed into a part. When it comes to investment casting of impellers in any alloy, additive manufacturing offers a lower cost per unit for these low-volume production/high-value components. Eliminating the need for tooling to create sacrificial patterns, stereolithography QuickCast casting patterns deliver ultimate speed and flexibility.

The Expertise and Solutions for Effective Impeller Manufacturing

  • Achieve Scalable Processes

    3D Systems has the equipment, materials, and technical knowledge needed to develop scalable, cost-efficient manufacturing processes. The result is that industrial gas turbine manufacturers and suppliers can transition from prototype to production quickly, while also supporting legacy equipment with replacement and aftermarket parts in any quantity, in far less time.

  • Seamless Large Metal Parts

    Within our broad range of advanced additive manufacturing technologies, materials and software solutions, we can deliver seamless 3D printed metal parts of 500 x 500 x 450 mm within tight tolerances and with outstanding material properties.

  • Unique Materials Capabilities

    Due to the unique vacuum chamber technology of our metal printers, enabling best-in-class low oxygen atmosphere (<25 ppm), we see improved material properties, increased material efficiency, and reduced argon gas consumption. This results in exceptionally strong parts of high chemical purity, in even challenging materials such as titanium alloys.

  • The Flexibility of Tool-Less Casting Patterns

    Our advanced software, hardware, and materials for 3D printed sacrificial casting patterns enable impeller manufacturers to create large, complex casting patterns in a fraction of the time it takes to create molds using traditional tooling. By using our additive manufacturing process, you can create lightweight, hollow patterns that allow for greater design complexity, reduced component weight, and improved impeller efficiency.

More Turbomachinery Applications

Casings and Ducting

Stator Vanes

Combustor Components

Customer Stories

Resources

  • Vaupell Case Study 940x494

    The Digital Foundry

    Digital processes and new additive manufacturing technologies are poised to deliver massive time and cost savings: Production workflows that traditionally take weeks can now be done in hours.

    Download the White Paper

  • Design for Performance

    Design, test and produce metal parts with 3D printing that are simply not possible with standard manufacturing. Create lightweight, high-strength structures and deliver new capabilities. Read the Metal Printing Design Guide to gain invaluable insight.

    Get the Design Guide

Learn More About Turbomachinery Impellers Manufacturing Solutions

Manufacture metal parts with scalable DMLS with removable build chamber for continuous printing

DMP Factory 500

Robust, high quality metal AM with integrated powder management

LaserForm Ti Gr23 (A)

High strength, low weight, excellent biocompatibility - lower Oxygen than Gr5

Accura Fidelity (SLA)

Highly accurate, humidity/moisture resistant, antimony-free casting patterns

DMP Flex 350 Duel 3D printer

DMP Flex 350, DMP Flex 350 Dual and DMP Flex 350 Triple

Robust, flexible metal 3D printer for rapid part production

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  • Application Innovation Group

    Our team can help you solve your most difficult design and production challenges with additive manufacturing solutions. Together we’ll identify your needs, working with you to optimize your designs, prototype, validate and define a manufacturing flow.
    Find out more