"Metal 3D printing? That is, metal additive manufacturing? "
After listening to Zhuang Jianye's words, the senior researcher of a mechanical research institute squinted and looked at Zhuang Jianye noncommittally. Then he raised the small turbojet engine in his hand to his own and asked again seriously: "Comrade Zhuang Jianye, are you sure that all such engines are made of metal additives?"
In fact, not only this senior researcher, but also other members of the research group with technical background all looked at Zhuang Jianye strangely.
Surprised eyes are coincidentally written "how can this be" five characters.
It's not surprising that senior researchers and others have such an attitude. In fact, although Metal 3D printing or metal additive manufacturing is the forefront of process manufacturing, many people believe that this technology represents the development direction of industrial manufacturing in the future.
But after all, the future is not yet coming. It is impossible to solve the current problems, especially for high value-added industrial products like aeroengines, which need a large number of high-precision metal forgings. Metal 3D printing is just a gimmick.
The reason is very simple, because of its natural defects, this kind of technology can not be applied in the field of metal strength with ultra-high requirements.
There is no way. In fact, metal 3D printing at this time can not make special parts with high mechanical strength of the same level as high-precision forgings. In other words, metal 3D printing can at most be similar in shape, but not in spirit.
Because the metal structure of the metal parts in the aerospace field basically needs the crystal to be arranged in order, so as to achieve the structural strength requirements. Because of this, high-precision forging will be popular.
However, the metal structure inside the components produced by metal 3D printing is flocculent structure, and the structural strength is very poor, which often leads to cracks and fracture.
If not, how could the European and American developed countries, which first invented and widely used such good alternative equipment, continue to specialize in the old precision forging process?
It is not after so many years of research that we have found that metal 3D printing technology is nothing more than a virtual table. Especially in the United States, since the late 1970s, we have repeatedly invested a lot of money in the field of metal 3D printing, studied it for more than 10 years, and conducted experiments on the core components of F-18 fighter and f-404 turbofan engine made by metal 3D printing technology. The results show that these zero cost technologies have been applied The mechanical strength of the parts is so poor that they can't even meet the entry-level aviation safety standards, let alone the military equipment with higher performance.
So the Americans come to the conclusion that metal 3D printing can at best do some parts repair of this level in the field of aviation maintenance, and the rest is to customize some high-level toy models for children.
Based on this judgment, the United States will retain nearly 30 years of metal 3D printing technology patent public transfer, anyway, are useless things, it is also a waste to stay in the hands, it is better to market, but also earn a patent fee.
At this moment, the United States is the absolute king in the field of science and technology in the world. Even if their conclusions are not truth or theorem, let alone refutation, there is no voice of doubt.
After all, technologies like metal 3D printing need not only time, but also massive capital investment. Other countries do not have the ability to tie together. What's the question?
Anyway, Americans don't pit themselves. If they don't keep good things, can they?
Because of this, the conclusion that the application prospect of metal 3D printing in the aerospace field is not big was quickly accepted by the world aerospace manufacturing field.
As a good student in China, he naturally believes in the conclusion that Meidi has spent a lot of money, so like other countries, he lacks interest in additive manufacturing technology, including metal 3D printing technology.
Except for a few individual projects that have already been launched and paid for, most of the additive manufacturing technology projects are either forced to be dismounted or directly cut off.
Among them, China Tengfei has retained the most additive manufacturing technology projects, but only two.
Even so, the name China Tengfei applied for is not aerospace industry manufacturing, but aircraft and spacecraft system maintenance.
After all, the maintenance business of four large aviation maintenance plants and a spacecraft testing center under China Tengfei accounts for 12.4% of China Tengfei's total business, which is not small. It's very normal to do some special maintenance equipment.
What senior researchers and others didn't expect is that Zhuang Jianye applied the equipment in the field of maintenance to large-scale industrial production, and it is not an ordinary thing, it is the most complex aero-engine.
Even if this engine is only a small turbojet engine used in foreign trade cruise missiles, and it is a disposable consumable with low life, even if it is not supported by high-precision forgings, even the disposable turbojet will be scrapped in advance because of insufficient structural strength.
At that time, cruise missiles will not be cruise missiles, but artillery battles in the air.
Because of this, zhigougou, the senior researcher who looked at Zhuang Jianye, added: "this matter is very important, comrade Zhuang Jianye, I hope you can take it seriously!"You mean I'm kidding you again?
Zhuang Jianye was in a bad mood, but he was still smiling on his face: "as the saying goes, hearing is false, seeing is true, leaders are still here, please, next to our wd-18 high integration small turbojet engine production workshop."
"Don't you have a special factory for this kind of small turbojet engine?"
It was said that the small turbojet engine in hand was produced in the matching workshop next to the cruise missile. The senior researcher immediately opened his eyes in surprise.
We need to know that this kind of military small turbojet is not the civil goods on the model, and the requirements are still very high. There are at least thousands of internal parts, not to mention the general aviation level in China. Even those developed countries in Europe and the United States, similar small engines will set up special production plants for professional processing and production.
But China Tengfei actually took this kind of core equipment as a complete set and put it next to the cruise missile assembly workshop.
If you want to provide the production efficiency of a cruise missile off the production line in less than three minutes, the production efficiency of wd-18 small turbojet engine must at least keep pace with it, otherwise it will not be able to supply goods at all.
The traditional forging manufacturing obviously can't do this, is it difficult for China to take off and really make a small turbojet engine with metal 3D printing technology?
Zhuang Jianye did not answer the surprise of the senior researcher directly, but said with a smile: "leaders should go and have a look." Then he motioned for an exit and walked over. Senior researchers and others followed him with three suspicions and seven curiosities.
Soon through the workshop, and then walk through a corridor, put on the dust-proof clothes, put on the dust cap, then enter a medium-sized dust-proof workshop, and then senior researchers and others were stunned by the scene.
There are only ten two meter long and one meter high processing equipment in a row. Inside, all kinds of parts of wd-18 small turbojet engine are processed. With the prompt sound of processing completion, the operation platforms of five equipment are opened one after another. Some manipulators take out the parts and put them on a small lifting belt. The workers who have already been ready follow the instructions The process quickly assembles these parts together, and then ignites for test run. After 5 minutes, it stops to cool down and wait for packaging.
In this way, the assembly and test of a wd-18 turbojet engine are completed in half an hour on average. The efficiency is almost