Students Create Liquid Rocket Engine Using Metal 3D Printing

Kelvin Mk.1 rocket engine printed in 3D with DMLS technology, showing its complex internal channels and polished metal structure.

When University Homework Includes Printing Rocket Engines

The Queen Propulsion Laboratory team is redefining what "university project" means. 🚀 These students from Belfast have developed the Kelvin Mk.1, a liquid rocket engine whose combustion chamber was 3D printed using DMLS (Direct Metal Laser Sintering) technology. What makes this project special? It's probably more advanced than 90% of final degree projects... and they haven't even graduated yet.

A Complex Piece, Zero Welds

The magic of this engine is in its details:

Single piece: Printed in AlSi10Mg aluminum without welded joints
Internal channels: Integrated cooling directly in the design
Aerospace precision: Professional finish with heat treatments

All thanks to the collaboration with Laser Prototypes Europe, because when it comes to rocket engines, better not use the university library printer. 🖨️💥

Advantages That Take Off Faster Than the Rocket

Compared to traditional methods:

Design freedom: Geometries impossible to machine
Speed: From CAD to metal in days, not weeks
Efficiency: Optimized with SolidWorks and ANSYS simulations

The results are so good that even Lord Kelvin (their scientific inspiration) would be proud... or jealous of not having CAD in his time. 🔭

"At university they teach you that the sky is the limit... these students took it literally"

Next Stop: Space (or Almost)

July 10, 2025 will be the big day: the real fire test at the Westcott Space Cluster. Meanwhile, at foro3d we'll keep printing keychains and figurines, consoling ourselves that at least our print failures don't cause multi-kiloton explosions. 💣

And although this DMLS printer costs more than our entire university tuition, it shows that the next generation of engineers is ready to take additive manufacturing... to new heights. 🌌