Singapore Further Strengthens Position as Global Aerospace and Additive Manufacturing Hub with Launch of Second Phase of Smart Manufacturing Joint Lab (SMJL) on 29 October 2025. The lab is a collaboration between Singapore's Agency for Science, Technology and Research (A*STAR), Rolls-Royce, and Singapore Aero Engine Services Private Limited (SAESL). Building on the success of the first SMJL phase launched in 2017, the SMJL continues to advance smart manufacturing and additive manufacturing technologies for aerospace production and maintenance.
With an initial investment of S$68 million, the first phase focused on enhancing process efficiency and integrating advanced manufacturing technologies into the production of Rolls-Royce fan blades and the Maintenance, Repair, and Overhaul (MRO) operations of SAESL. The phase generated 18 transformative technologies, boosting production efficiency by 20% at the Rolls-Royce fan blade factory and significantly increasing throughput at SAESL. It involved over 200 local SMEs, generated S$4.5 million in new business, and expanded Singapore's industrial ecosystem.
The second phase of SMJL aims to strengthen capabilities in additive manufacturing and automation for the aerospace sector. It focuses on three key areas: advanced additive manufacturing for component repair and engine overhaul; optimizing fan blade manufacturing processes; and enhancing process reliability through digital and additive manufacturing innovations. These technologies will support Rolls-Royce's goal of increasing fan blade production output by over 30% at its Seletar facility without expanding its footprint. They will also complement SAESL's S$242 million expansion plan to double its engine overhaul capacity by 2030 and create 500 high-value jobs.
Additive Manufacturing (AM) is crucial in this next phase, particularly in developing repair processes and producing complex components that enable shorter lead times, improved sustainability, and enhanced performance. The lab's work also supports staff training and SME skills upgrading, enabling local partners to adopt advanced technologies and integrate into the global aerospace supply chain.
This collaboration deepens a partnership dating back to 2002 with A*STAR's Institute of High Performance Computing and has led to the establishment of several joint labs focused on digitalisation and precision manufacturing. Today, Rolls-Royce's Fan Blade Singapore Factory (FBSG) manufactures all wide-chord fan blades for Trent engines, which power approximately half of the world's wide-body aircraft.
