India's Hindustan Aeronautics (HAL)’ INR 458 crore ($73.7 million) 25-kN aircraft engine project is all set to have 3D printing technology for its components, Deccan Herald Daily reported today.
“The 6.5-year-long project was going on track until a vendor who was to supply critical components abruptly backtracked. The company decided to buy 3D printing equipment to master the brains of component manufacturing,” HAL’s newly appointed Chairman, T Suvarna Raju was quoted as saying by the newspaper.
The operational unit of the engine will be displayed during the upcoming Aero India airshow.
HAL has been contemplating on a strategic business unit to be included for UAVs for tapping India’s $2 billion domestic market.