In regards to these Wankels as range extenders, did anyone ever see Audi's work with Aluminum Rotors?

http://www.ipmd.net/articles/001927.html

I haven't been a fan of the 3D Printing technologies, I know enough about metallurgy to make me dangerous and I couldn't see parts being made that were robust enough via printing. My mind is changing after hearing about GE making all sorts of parts via printing in their "Hot Sections" of their turbine engines, and seeing the CEO of 3D systems on one of the Financial channels.

I also saw the other day two articles about printing Titanium and how cheap it may become, and printing it....

http://www.economist.com/news/science-and-technology/21571847-exotic-useful-metals-such-tantalum-and-titanium-are-about-become-cheap

http://www.domain-b.com/technology/engineering/20140101_titanium.html

So with that as a background, is a printed Titanium ( or Aluminum Rotor ) a possibility?

Are at one of those rare junctures in history where material advances and manufacturing techniques put us at a place of potential rapid change aka a paradigm shift ?

My best,

 John Smith ?

Won't work. Top workable temperature for aluminum is 500 F.

Paul Lamar


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