Siemens has won an international 3D Printing Industry Award for successfully testing gas turbine blades produced with additive manufacturing (AM).

The company received the award in the 3D Printing application of the year category.

Earlier this year, Siemens confirmed successful performance testing of its 3D printed turbine blades, which was carried out by an international project team with contributions from company engineers in Finspång, Sweden; Lincoln, UK; and Berlin, Germany. Engineers from Siemens were also joined by experts from Materials Solutions in Worcester, UK.

Siemens was voted for and nominated by online industry news source 3Dprintingindustry.com for its achievement.

"With this award, we show that Siemens as a technology driver can play a decisive role in the future of AM."

Siemens' Materials Solutions general manager Phil Hatherley said: “We are very glad to receive this award for our printed turbine blades and we are especially proud as the votes stem from members of the AM community.

“With this award we show that Siemens as a technology driver can play a decisive role in the future of AM and we are ready to take the next steps in this development.”

AM is said to have the capability to become a major technology for the development of gas turbine components. Having invested in the technology, the company is currently supporting industrialisation and commercialisation of these processes.

3D printing technology is also used to manufacture burner tips, burner nozzles, and to repair burner heads.

Image: Phil Hatherley delivering his acceptance speech at the 3D Printing Industry Award ceremony in London, UK. Photo: courtesy of Siemens.