On May 30-31, 2024, CSIC Longjiang GH Gas Turbine Co., Ltd. (hereinafter referred to as “GH Turbine”) was invited to attend the 2024 International Turbine Technology Expo. During the advanced gas turbine forum, Cheng Xu, technical lead from the company’s additive manufacturing team, talked about the application and research of additive manufacturing technology in the R&D, design, production and testing of small and medium-sized gas turbines. He introduced the history and applications of GH Turbine’s additive manufacturing technology, as well as its benefits and achievements.

Drawing on decades of experience in the R&D, molding process，software development and testing of small and medium-sized gas turbines, GH Turbine has integrated additive manufacturing concepts into the structural design of its components. This has ensured that the improved components not only meet all functional requirements, but also increase the success rate of printing and molding. The component production period has been significantly reduced, greatly enhancing the efficiency of R&D and design, reducing material waste, and enabling the rapid and efficient production of single samples for design testing and iterative optimization. GH Turbine has successfully achieved the molding and test application of key high-temperature alloy combustion components such as swirlers, flame tubes and swirl nozzles, based on SLM (Selective Laser Melting) technology for metal materials. Additionally, using FDM (Fused Deposition Modeling) technology for non-metallic materials has enabled the successful application of scaled-down models of complete compressors and gas turbines.

Industrial gas turbines are an industry characterized by high intensity in design and extensive reliance on testing, both the initial design process and subsequent maintenance involve the rapid prototyping of complex non-standard parts. Additive manufacturing technology offers significant advantages in the design and development of gas turbines, not only accelerating the product development process, but also enhancing product quality and performance while reducing costs and environmental impact. In the future, GH Turbine will continue to improve its production capabilities for additive manufacturing, exploring more applications for novel high-temperature alloy materials and achieving the rapid, efficient molding of larger gas turbine components.