A typical turboprop engine is made up of more than 800 parts, but GE Aviation is displaying its new Catalyst Advanced Turboprop Engines made up of 12 3-D printed parts.
Test engines have already run through 1,100 hours of testing, including 900 starts.
Paul Corkery, general manager of the project for GE explained, “The dramatic reduction in parts for the production engines means more strength, lighter weight, and fewer parts and vendors in the supply chain, which lowers costs. The result is better fuel efficiency, and in theory a longer life for the engines.”