‘3-D printing’ of gas turbine fuel nozzles

General Electric’s oil and gas division is to start pilot production of metal fuel nozzles for its gas turbines by means of additive manufacturing (AM) — also known as 3-D printing — in the second half of this year, with full AM production of the nozzles expected in 2015; they are currently made by welding together a number of sub-components.

The move follows developments by GE Aviation, which last year said it would use AM to produce fuel nozzles for its LEAP jet engine; this high-profile decision was
regarded by many people in industry as “sealing the commerciality” of this technology.

Another piece of kit that GE Oil & Gas is looking to produce using AM is electric submersible pumps (used to bring oil to the surface). The company said: “Most of these are about 4 or 5in in diameter and up to 2in high — an ideal size for additive manufacturing.”