University of Canterbury students create world-first 3D-printed titanium engine

University of Canterbury students have created a 3D-printed titanium engine. Photo / Getty Images

New Zealand has laid claim to an engineering world first - a 3D-printed titanium engine designed and built by a group of students at the University of Canterbury.

The feat of ingenuity was unveiled on Friday morning and will be used in the 2018 Shell Asia Eco-marathon in Singapore in March.

The University of Canterbury Eco-marathon team won the Design Award for their entry in last years' race - a 100 per cent recyclable car made of vacuum-formed thermoplastic, also a world-first.

The engine, which runs on ethanol, will be used in the re-used car body and the new and improved entry will come up against over 100 teams from tertiary institutes around the Asia-Pacific region.

University of Canterbury Eco-marathon student team leader Robbie Murray says that the team had worked extremely hard to produce the vehicle with the new engine.

"We want to define who we are as New Zealanders, and our drive to create bold and innovative solutions to the problems with which we are faced.

"We're excited to show our car to the world and put New Zealand on the map in Singapore this year," he said.

University of Canterbury Engineering alumnus Owen Hey attended the launch event and says he was impressed with what they had achieved.

"I've been amazed with their bold ideas and their determination to push the boundaries - this has led to them achieving two world-firsts within their first two years of competition."

- NZN