Visitors help repair broken turbine blades at Harwell

On the 29th of June 2024, the Rutherford Appleton Laboratory and Harwell Campus opened its doors to the public for its once-every-five-years open day. The event attracted over 10,000 enthusiastic visitors, offering them a unique opportunity to explore the ground breaking science taking place on campus. Among the highlights was a visit to the UK’s national synchrotron, Diamond Light Source.

As part of the event, Discover Materials ambassadors Harry Chapman and Anastassia Milleret and their group from University College London hosted a hands-on workshop showcasing their work in additive manufacturing. The activity involved using 3D pens to repair broken turbine blades, which had been designed with various types of damage and printed using a polymer 3D printer. After completing the repairs, visitors had the chance to add their restored blades to a model disc!

Words by Anastassia Milleret