French Navy enters new territory with propeller technology
Naval Group has fitted a 3D-printed propeller to the French Navy Eridan-class minehunter Andromède, following a three-year R&D process.
The 2.5m-span propeller, supported by five 200kg blades, was made in the Naval Group facility at Nantes-Indret before being mounted on the propeller shaft in late 2020.
‘Sea trials were then performed successfully at the end of December,’ Naval Group announced on 13 January 2021.
The first 3D-printed marine propeller (called WAAMpeller) was unveiled by Damen in November 2017.
However, Naval Group claims to be the first shipbuilder to apply a 3D-printed propeller to a naval vessel for full operational use.
The French company is investing €7 million investment in metal 3D printing this year and Eric Balufin, director of the Naval Group facility in Brest, said that the technology ‘will enable us to considerably reduce manufacturing solutions for complex geometrical shapes which cannot be produced through conventional processes. It will also enable us to greatly reduce production time and consequently in-service support’.
Other applications for 3D printing in ship design include production of thrusters, Naval Group added.
As part of our promise to deliver comprehensive coverage to our Defence Insight and Premium News subscribers, our curated defence news content provides the latest industry updates, contract awards and programme milestones.
More from Naval Warfare
-
SEA to trial sonar software for UK Royal Navy
The UK Royal Navy’s anti-submarine warfare Spearhead programme, run by the service’s Develop Directorate, has been investigating future and existing technologies with a particular focus on the USV arena.
-
Australia’s new frigate options: No easy choices as pressure mounts on DoD
A new class of General Purpose ‘Tier 2’ frigate will replace the Royal Australian Navy’s (RAN’s) Anzac-class frigates, but the selected design options appear to have major issues in terms of compatibility and availability for the future fleet.
-
Royal Navy’s new Dreadnought SSBNs to be equipped with OSI’s ECPINS
The contracts between OSI Maritime Systems (OSI) and BAE Systems Submarines will encompass continued support for the Astute-class nuclear-powered submarines (SSN) and the future Dreadnought-class nuclear-powered ballistic missile submarines (SSBN).