College students at Queen’s College Belfast have reached a significant milestone for Northern Eire’s house sector with the event of Kelvin Mk.1, the area’s first student-designed liquid rocket engine. The venture, led by Queen’s Propulsion Laboratory (QPL), highlights the impression of hands-on studying and superior manufacturing in shaping the way forward for house engineering.
As a part of the collaboration, LPE (Laser Prototypes Europe) sponsored QPL by manufacturing the engine’s essential parts: a metallic 3D printed combustion chamber and an injector head. Each had been printed, heat-treated, and post-processed fully at LPE’s facility in Belfast. Based mostly in Belfast, LPE is a number one supplier of additive manufacturing and fast prototyping companies, specializing in high-precision 3D printed parts for the aerospace, medical, and industrial sectors. The corporate is licensed to ISO 13485, ISO 9001, and AS9100 requirements.
The chamber was produced utilizing Direct Steel Laser Sintering (DMLS) in AlSi10Mg aluminium, chosen for its light-weight and excessive thermal conductivity. The element options inner cooling channels and was printed as a single piece, eliminating stress-prone welds and joints. Publish-processing included full depowdering, warmth therapy, and floor ending to satisfy aerospace-grade requirements.
“Additive manufacturing was the correct resolution for this engine, not only for its complexity, however as a result of it enabled velocity, precision, and efficiency in a single course of,” stated Patrick Partitions, Engineering Director at LPE. “We’re proud to assist such an formidable and succesful staff, and to contribute to a venture that represents the subsequent technology of propulsion expertise popping out of Northern Eire.”
Based in 2023, QPL is Northern Eire’s largest pupil rocketry staff, giving college students real-world expertise within the design, manufacturing, and testing of propulsion methods. Powered by isopropyl alcohol and nitrous oxide, the Kelvin Mk.1 engine is scheduled for decent hearth testing on 10 July 2025 on the Westcott Area Cluster, as a part of the UK’s Race2Space competitors.
The QPL staff determined to make use of metallic additive manufacturing for its design flexibility, velocity, and half consolidation, which had been essential elements that allowed for extra time for engine testing and integration. Working with LPE additionally gave the scholars precious expertise in designing for additive processes.
“Steel 3D printing gave us larger design freedom, quicker manufacturing, and fewer components,” stated a QPL spokesperson. “LPE’s assist all through the venture was invaluable, and the completed chamber exceeded our expectations.”
A full Q&A with the QPL staff, protecting their design strategy and classes discovered from the manufacturing course of, is offered on the LPE web site.
