LPE 3D prints rocket engine chamber for student-built liquid rocket engine
Queen’s Propulsion Laboratory (QPL) at Queen’s University Belfast has led the development of Kelvin Mk.1, the region’s first student-designed liquid rocket engine developed in collaboration with LPE.
LPE (Laser Prototypes Europe) sponsored QPL by manufacturing the engine’s critical components: a metal 3D printed combustion chamber and an injector head. Both were printed, heat-treated, and post-processed at LPE’s Belfast facility.
The chamber was produced using Direct Metal Laser Sintering (DMLS) in AlSi10Mg aluminium, selected for its lightweight and high thermal conductivity. The component features internal cooling channels and was printed as a single piece, eliminating stress-prone welds and joints. Post-processing included full de-powdering, heat treatment, and surface finishing to meet aerospace-grade standards.
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“Additive manufacturing was the right solution for this engine, not just for its complexity, but because it enabled speed, precision, and performance in a single process,” said Patrick Walls, engineering director at LPE. “We’re proud to support such an ambitious and capable team, and to contribute to a project that represents the next generation of propulsion technology coming out of Northern Ireland.”
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