Naval Group announced that it is producing 200 kilograms of five-wing propeller thanks to metal printing with a 3D printer. Propeller was tried on a Tripartite-class mine-hunting ship. Propeller, which was indicated to have been equipped to ship in October 2020, successfully completed sea trials at the end of December.

Naval Group announced that after nearly three years of R&D work, they have produced “the first propeller to emerge from the largest 3D metal printing technology ever produced” and will be used for military purposes.

With the 3D printer, production time and in-service support will be significantly reduced, propeller is the first step in new solutions. 3D printing in shipbuilding is expected to significantly resolve technical constraints.

The French company also reported that it invested €7m in metal 3D printing in 2021. The new propellers will be operationalised on the Tripartite-class ship, which is manufactured in Belgium, France and the Netherlands.