Engineers from the Moscow Aviation Institute (MAI) have developed a project for an aircraft electric motor, most of whose parts will be manufactured using 3D printing. The first prototype will be released in 2026.
The power unit is designed for small aircraft, heavy drones, and other compact equipment. According to the developers, the use of additive technologies will significantly accelerate production and reduce the cost of manufacturing the unit.
According to the project, a synchronous electric motor will be manufactured. In it, the magnetic flux is directed along the axis of rotation, and the rotor and stator are disc-shaped.
The nominal power of the unit will be 50 kW, and the peak power will be up to 80 kW. Some elements of the casing and internal components of the engine will be manufactured by 3D printing from a special alloy.
It should be noted that additive technologies are increasingly being mastered specifically in engine building, effectively replacing lathes. For example, in the powerful PD-35, turbine blades for high and low pressure, individual compressor sections, nozzles, and brackets have already been manufactured using these technologies.
However, classical machining does not disappear, but its role is gradually changing – it becomes part of the digital production chain.
