The aerospace industry continues to embrace additive manufacturing as a transformative technology for producing complex components. A recent partnership between LEAP 71, a Dubai-based computational engineering firm, and The Exploration Company (TEC), a European space venture, exemplifies how metal 3D printing is reshaping rocket engine design and manufacturing.
The Partnership: Combining Computational Engineering and AM
Under this five-year renewable agreement, TEC gains access to LEAP 71's computational tools for designing rocket engine components optimized for metal additive manufacturing. The collaboration leverages LEAP 71's expertise in computational aerospace engineering and TEC's experience in space systems development.
Earlier this year, LEAP 71 and HBD (Hunan Brompton) unveiled a 200 kN 3D printed aerospike rocket engine at TCT Asia 2026, demonstrating the practical application of these design approaches. This achievement showcases how additive manufacturing enables geometries that are impossible to produce with conventional machining methods.
Why Rocket Engines Suit 3D Printing
Metal 3D printing offers several advantages for aerospace components like rocket engines:
- Complex geometries: Cooling channels and combustion chamber contours can be integrated into single printed parts
- Weight reduction: Topology-optimized designs reduce mass while maintaining structural integrity
- Material efficiency: Powder-based processes like DMLS and SLM minimize material waste
- Rapid iteration: Design changes can be implemented quickly without new tooling
- Part consolidation: Multiple components can be combined into single printed parts
Metal AM Technologies for Aerospace
Two primary metal 3D printing technologies are used in aerospace applications:
Selective Laser Melting (SLM) and Direct Metal Laser Sintering (DMLS) both use high-powered lasers to melt metal powder layer by layer. These processes produce fully dense metal parts with mechanical properties comparable to conventionally manufactured components. Common materials include:
- Stainless steel 316L and 304
- Aluminum alloys (6061, AlSi10Mg)
- Titanium alloys (Grade 5, Ti6Al4V)
- Inconel and other superalloys
Commercial Implications for Aerospace Manufacturing
The growth of 3D printing in aerospace extends beyond experimental programs. Commercial applications include:
- Fuel injectors and combustion components
- Structural brackets and housings
- Thermal management systems
- Custom tooling and fixtures
These developments signal that additive manufacturing is becoming a mainstream production method for aerospace components, not merely a prototyping tool.
What This Means for Your Project
While rocket engine manufacturing represents the cutting edge of metal AM, the underlying technologies are accessible for a wide range of applications. From custom robotics components to medical devices, metal 3D printing services enable complex part designs that were previously impossible or prohibitively expensive.
PrintVX offers metal 3D printing capabilities including SLM/DMLS for stainless steel, aluminum, titanium, and specialty alloys. Our ISO 9001 quality management ensures consistent results for aerospace-adjacent and other demanding applications.