MTU Aero Engines
In-house additive manufacturing production of certified, serial aero-engine components using selective laser melting (SLM), reducing lead times and enabling complex geometries.
- CEO / Founder
- Lars Wagner
- Team Size
- 5001-10000
- Stage
- Public
Technology & Products
Key Products
Borescope bosses for PW1100G-JM engine; Seal carriers; Other structural engine components
Technological Advantage
Proprietary process knowledge and quality assurance for aerospace-grade metal AM, including collaboration with EOS on optical tomography for in-situ defect detection. Advantage is protected by deep aerospace certification expertise and process control, making replication by pure-play AM service bureaus difficult.
Differentiation
Value Proposition
Delivers certified, flight-ready metal components with reduced lead times and weight savings for next-generation aero-engines, leveraging deep aerospace manufacturing and certification expertise.
How They Differentiate
As an aerospace OEM, competes on deep vertical integration of AM into engine design and certification, unlike standalone AM hardware or service providers. Focus is on producing its own engine components, not selling AM capacity.
Market & Competition
Target Customers
Aerospace OEMs and engine programs (e.g., Pratt & Whitney)
Industry Verticals
Aerospace; Defense
Competitors
GE Additive; Siemens Energy; Safran
Growth & Milestones
Growth Metrics
MTU Aero Engines' additive manufacturing business has shown significant growth, with the company investing over €100 million in its additive manufacturing center in Munich by 2022. The facility operates more than 20 industrial 3D printing machines and has expanded its workforce dedicated to AM. Key growth indicators include the serial production of additively manufactured turbine blades for the Pratt & Whitney geared turbofan engine, with production rates scaling to thousands of parts per year. The company has also established partnerships, such as with the U.S. Department of Energy's Oak Ridge National Laboratory, to further develop AM processes and materials.
Major Milestones
2013: Began production of borescope bosses via AM; Among first in aviation to receive regulatory approval for volume production of AM components
Notable Customers
Pratt & Whitney (for PW1100G-JM engine on Airbus A320neo); LATAM (for V2500 engine program)
AM patents
AM-relevant patents linked to this company.
- Patents
- 5
- Granted
- 2
- Families
- 5
Leading domains: material (5), equipment (4), process (4)
Filings by year: 2024: 1 · 2023: 1 · 2013: 3
- METHOD FOR SMOOTHING AT LEAST ONE SURFACE REGION OF A DUCT OF AN ADDITIVELY MANUFACTURED COMPONENT OF AN AIRCRAFT ENGINE2024217629 · WO
- Device and method for additively producing at least one component region of a component105555442 · CN
- Method and device for additively manufacturing at least one component region of a component110064754 · CN
- METHOD FOR LAYER-BY-LAYER CONSTRUCTION OF A COMPONENT2025256926 · WO
- Device and method for additively producing at least one component region of a component105555443 · CN