3D-printed jet engine hits 13,000 feet in China’s maiden flight test

China has successfully conducted the maiden flight test of its first fully 3D-printed mini turbojet engine, which reached an altitude of 13,000 feet (4,000 meters) in the Inner Mongolia Autonomous Region. This 160-kilogram thrust-class engine was produced using a combination of additive manufacturing and multi-disciplinary topology optimization, allowing for complex, lightweight, and integrated components that traditional casting and forging methods cannot easily achieve. The development represents a significant technical milestone for China’s aerospace sector, potentially reducing its reliance on foreign-sourced engines and addressing longstanding challenges in metallurgy and precision engineering. While additive manufacturing is already established in the aerospace industry globally—with companies like GE Aviation and Pratt & Whitney using 3D-printed parts—China’s achievement lies in producing an entire flight-validated engine through these methods. The lightweight engine is expected to be particularly useful for unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs). However, transitioning from a prototype to industrial-scale production poses challenges, including advancements in high-temperature