YouTuber shows the 3D printing of a turbine and provides 3D model files

Engineer and YouTuber Robert Murray-Smith has developed a 3D-printed turbine based on the design of the historic V2 rocket. The aim of the project was to build a high-speed turbine that could later be used to generate energy. The V2 rocket, originally developed during the Second World War, was the first man-made object to reach space. Particularly remarkable was the rocket’s turbine and pump system, which was able to deliver enormous quantities of fuel in a short space of time. This technology serves as inspiration for modern applications.

The developer decided to manufacture the turbine using 3D printing. He used a publicly available NASA design as a basis and converted it for further processing in CAD software. In order to precisely create the shape of the turbine blades, he relied on the design of a so-called “blisk”. This is a combination of a disk and firmly connected blades. The individual blades were attached to a central rotor, which was also 3D printed. After printing, all the components were joined together and fitted with ball bearings to enable rotation with as little friction as possible.

The first tests showed impressive results. The turbine reached high speeds simply by blowing on it with compressed air. The model of the turbine is available free of charge on Thingiverse and can be built by anyone interested.