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French engine manufacturer Safran Aircraft Engines has installed three CeraFab S65 ceramic 3D printers from ceramic 3D printing specialist Lithoz at its Gennevilliers site near Paris.
The new equipment will produce advanced ceramic casting cores for turbine blades in next-generation aircraft engines. These cores enable the creation of intricate internal cooling channels that help turbine blades endure high temperatures and improve engine efficiency.
The systems use Lithography-based Ceramic Manufacturing (LCM), a process refined through collaboration between Safran and Lithoz to achieve consistent, scalable production for aerospace use. With the new 3D printers now acquired, Safran is moving toward large-scale ceramic AM to support the development of future propulsion technologies.
Johannes Homa, Lithoz CEO said, “The installation of these three CeraFab S65 printers is a true milestone for both Lithoz and the aerospace industry. As Safran Aircraft Engines move forward to further develop their serial additive manufacturing process for ceramic casting cores, Lithoz remains strongly committed to providing our constant support in this important project.”
Lithoz’s ceramic 3D printing technology for aerospace
High-performance ceramic 3D printing has emerged as a strong alternative to metal manufacturing in aerospace, offering materials that could withstand extreme heat, corrosion, and mechanical stress while maintaining dimensional stability.
Using Lithoz’s LCM technology, engineers produced intricate components such as turbine blade casting cores, RF filters, and silicon nitride nozzles with exceptional precision and design flexibility. These ceramic parts enabled lighter, more efficient, and longer-lasting systems capable of operating under demanding thermal conditions.
By scaling its LCM process to industrial production, Lithoz enables advancing of more sustainable and efficient manufacturing for aerospace applications.
Another notable example includes that of Lithoz 3D printing ceramic heat exchangers for hydrogen-electric propulsion systems in megawatt-class aircraft as part of the EU-funded TRIATHLON project. Designed by Ergon Research and produced using the CeraFab 3D printers, the aluminium nitride (AlN) components are said to replace energy-intensive cryogenic hydrogen pumps.
With a thermal conductivity of 211 W/mK and stability below 600 °C, the ceramic material enables compact, lightweight heat exchangers capable of efficient thermal management. The technology supports TRIATHLON’s goal of developing durable, low-emission, and maintenance-efficient powertrains for next-generation sustainable aviation.
Ceramic 3D printing pushes aerospace efficiency
Beyond Safran, many have reaped the benefits of 3D printing ceramics for aerospace applications.
For instance, French 3D printing company 3DCeram was chosen as an official supplier for space propulsion manufacturer ThrustMe to produce ceramic components for electric thrusters. Through this partnership, ThrustMe applied ceramic additive manufacturing to create miniaturized, highly complex parts capable of operating in the extreme thermal, chemical, and electrical conditions of space.
The ceramic materials provided stability under plasma exposure, resistance to high temperatures, and strong electrical insulation, making them ideal for ThrustMe’s iodine-fueled propulsion systems. The partnership demonstrated how ceramic 3D printing can enhance efficiency, design flexibility, and production speed in advanced aerospace applications.
Elsewhere in research, ceramic 3D printed solid oxide cells (SOCs) developed by the Technical University of Denmark (DTU) achieved over 1 W per gram, combining low weight with high power output. The fully ceramic, monolithic design was 3D printed with a gyroid structure that maximized surface area and mechanical stability while eliminating metal parts and seals.
This reduced manufacturing to five steps and enabled both fuel cell and electrolysis operation, producing hydrogen at nearly ten times the rate of conventional SOCs. The lightweight design demonstrated strong potential for use in aerospace and space systems.
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Featured image shows an illustration image of Safran Aircraft Engines turbines. Photo via Safran.
