Siemens makes AM turbine blade breakthrough

In one of the first reported tests of high-speed rotating AM components, the company validated multiple AM blades at up to 13,000rpm and at temperatures beyond 1,200˚C. The blades were manufactured with an improved internal cooling geometry by Materials Solutions, a company based in Worcester, UK that has recently been acquired by Siemens. The tests were conducted at Siemens’ industrial gas turbine factory in Lincoln, UK.

Willi Meixner, CEO, Siemens Power and Gas, said: “This is a breakthrough success for the use of AM in the power generation field, which is one of the most challenging applications for this technology. In just 18 months [the development team] completed the entire chain from component design and AM material development to new methods for simulations and quality controls”

The turbine blades are made from a powder of high performing polycrystalline nickel superalloy. At full load each of blade travels at over 1,600 km/h, carrying 11 tonnes. They are surrounded by gas at 1,250°C and cooled by air at over 400 °C.

Siemens noted that AM, also known as 3D printing, is reducing the company’s lead time for developing prototypes by up to 90% and allowing the development of new gas turbine layouts. The company has already introduced serial production solutions for components in the gas turbine compressor and combustion system.

In February 2016 Siemens opened a new production facility for 3D printed components in Finspång, Sweden.