China's 3D-printed mini jet engine triumphs in flight test

China successfully completed the maiden flight of a domestically developed ultra-lightweight miniature jet engine – entirely manufactured using 3D printing technology.

This achievement marks a breakthrough in advanced propulsion design and manufacturing, according to the engine's developer.

The flight test took place on Tuesday in north China's Inner Mongolia Autonomous Region, reaching a maximum altitude of 4,000 meters. It comprehensively demonstrated the operational reliability and stability of the engine under authentic flight conditions, Aero Engine Corporation of China (AECC) said in a press release on Wednesday.

The engine represents China's first-ever flight-validated turbojet engine in the 160-kilogram thrust class to be manufactured entirely using multi-disciplinary topology optimization additive manufacturing (3D printing) techniques, said AECC.

"This successful inaugural flight lays a more solid technical foundation for the research and development of future advanced aviation engines in China," it said.

The core innovation lies in the revolutionary integration of advanced design methodologies with 3D printing capabilities, filling a crucial domestic gap in the full-engine engineering application of this specific technology direction, AECC noted.

Prior to the flight, the engine had already undergone rigorous ground-based verification testing to ensure it met all performance targets and had a validated service life, it said.