Advancement's in MRO Industry
Aerospace manufacturer GE航空 has announced plans to invest over $1 billion in its global Maintenance, Repair and Overhaul (MRO) and component repair facilities. The Ohio-based engine manufacturer will primarily use the funds to add new engine test cells and equipment to meet growth in the widebody and narrowbody installed base.??
The investment effort, which will span five years, seeks to expand the firm’s engine maintenance capacity. It will also fund new “cutting-edge technology,” including new inspection techniques. This will reportedly reduce turnaround times and enhance component repair capabilities in the firm’s overhaul shops.??
Notably, the largest portion of the investment has been mooted to support the growing demand for the 3D printing-enabled CFM LEAP engines. Developed by CFM International (CFM) , GE’s joint venture with French aerospace manufacturer 赛峰集团(SAFRAN) the engines power the Airbus A320neo, Boeing 737 MAX, and COMAC C919 aircraft.??
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This follows the announcement that GE Aerospace is investing over $650 million into its global manufacturing plants. This includes the purchase of new industrial 3D printers to scale LEAP engine production. “Our customers are experiencing strong air travel demand, and we are investing to increase our capacity and efficiency so we can meet their growing needs and keep their planes flying safely and reliably,” commented Russell Stokes , GE Aerospace President and CEO, Commercial Engines and Services.
He added that the new investment reinforces the company’s “longstanding focus on safety, quality, and delivery” for its partners and flying customers.
GE Aerospace invests over $1 billion into MRO facilities:
GE Aerospace’s MRO facilities are responsible for maintaining the airworthiness of 40,000 commercial aircraft engines. Services include engine disassembly and reassembly, maintenance, repair, inspection, and testing.??The expansion of these facilities is being driven by the growth and maturity of the company’s LEAP engines amid increasing demand. There are over 3,300 LEAP-powered aircraft in service, with more than 10,000 additional engines in the backlog. According to GE Aerospace, these will increase the global commercial airline fleet by “thousands of planes” in the coming years.????
Each CFM LEAP engine features 19 3D printed fuel nozzles that increase fuel efficiency by 15%, compared to CFM56 engines. This efficiency is enabled by the significant weight reduction enabled by additive manufacturing. GE Aerospace’s landmark?3D printed fuel nozzle tips?are 25% lighter and five times more durable than their conventionally manufactured counterparts.?
3D printing also unlocks the LEAP nozzle’s complex internal geometry. This pre-mixes jet fuel before it is fed into the combustion chamber, boosting engine efficiency. Introduced in 2016, GE Aerospace has 3D printed over 140,000 nozzles to date, a notable milestone for?high-volume 3D printing?within aerospace.????
A significant portion of the new MRO investment has been earmarked for the construction of a new Services Technology Acceleration Center (STAC) near Cincinnati, Ohio. Set to open in September 2024, STAC will reportedly accelerate the deployment of new and innovative service approaches. This will include novel inspection platforms that detect emerging issues and reduce airplane downtime.?
Through the investment initiative, $250 million will be injected into GE Aerospace’s worldwide repair and overhaul centers in 2024. This will help to fund the expansion of facilities, new machines, tooling, and safety enhancements.?Around $65 million will be allocated to US-based MRO facilities, including Cincinnati, Ohio; Mcallen, Indiana; Lafayette, Texas; Dallas, Texas; and Winfield, Kansas. In South America, the company’s Brazillian facility in Petropolis will receive approximately $55 million.?MRO locations in Europe and the Middle East will collectively receive ~$60 million. This will be divided between facilities in Budapest, Hungary; Prestwick, Scotland; London, England; Cardiff, Wales; Wroclaw, Poland; Doha, Qatar; and Dubai, United Arab Emirates. The Asia Pacific region will be granted around $45 million for upgrades to MRO centers in Singapore; Taipei, Taiwan; Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia; and Seoul, South Korea.
3D printing boosts the aerospace sector:
GE Aerospace is not the only aerospace firm adopting additive manufacturing. South Korean industrial 3D printing solutions provider InssTek,Inc. recently developed a 3-ton multi-material rocket nozzle and a rocket nozzle extension. Produced in collaboration with the Korea Aerospace Research Institute (KARI), the nozzle was manufactured using Directed Energy Deposition (DED). The components were fabricated using materials distinctly suited for each part.
The multi-material rocket nozzle features an inner part made of Al-Bronze (Cu alloy) that features a cooling channel at 1 mm intervals. An outer part was 3D printed from Inconel 625 (Ni alloy), while the rocket nozzle extension was made from C-103, an Nb Alloy.?South Dakota-based resin 3D printer manufacturer B9Creations | Digital Manufacturing Technology was recently selected by aerospace manufacturer Consolidated Precision Products (CPP) to accelerate ultra-precision jet engine turbine blade production.?Through this agreement, B9creations has become the Global Additive Manufacturing Partner for CPP and its subsidiary Poly6 Technologies. The collaboration has already seen the company provide off-the-shelf 3D printers, semi-custom hardware, and software tools to support production workflow management.
Elsewhere, additive manufacturing service provider Sintavia was awarded a contract by the US Department of Defense (DoD) to develop 3D printed hypersonic propulsion components. Through the agreement, Sintavia will validate the quality and operational processes required to design and 3D print critical components required for hypersonic flight.?
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Additive Manufacturing:
Additive manufacturing is the process commonly known as 3D printing. Instead of creating a part through molding or machining, additive manufacturing uses advanced technology to build the part layer by layer. For example, in metal additive manufacturing, a laser may be used to fuse the material together. This method allows for the creation of parts that might not be possible to produce through traditional manufacturing methods.
With additive manufacturing, it's possible to design parts with complex internal channels or lattice and honeycomb structures to reduce weight. This technology also allows for the customization of parts, with design changes possible up until the last minute, as there is no need for dedicated mold tooling. Additionally, additive manufacturing can reduce the amount of assembly work required, as a part that might typically be made from many smaller components can be grown as a single piece.
Additive manufacturing is used to produce a wide range of end-use production parts, including:
It is also used to create mold components that enhance the molding process, allowing for cooling channels that conform to the shape of the mold surface instead of being straight drilled holes.
Although additive manufacturing is still in its early stages, its use and applications are growing. Over time, additive manufacturing machines will become faster, their build envelopes will expand, and the processing of various materials will improve. However, the key to the advancement of additive manufacturing lies in designers recognizing the freedoms and possibilities that this technology offers. The established rules of manufacturability have changed significantly.
When comparing additive manufacturing and traditional machining, it's important to remember the capabilities of modern machine tools. A part that is effectively machined today will likely still be machined in the future. Additive manufacturing will replace machining for some parts, but it should be viewed as a complementary process. In many cases, a part produced additively will still require finish machining. More importantly, additive manufacturing expands the range of designs that can be produced.
Additive manufacturing will undoubtedly play a role in the future of production. While the extent of its impact and the speed at which it will advance remain uncertain, it will eventually become an established and accepted production option alongside molding, machining, and other traditional processes. In the future, additive manufacturing will account for a significant share of how parts are made.
How does a Jet Engine Works:
The engine makes the plane move forward. Thrust is produced by air being pulled in by the fan blades. Then this air is ejected at greater speed through the exhaust, creating the required pushing force. This is the principle of Newton's law: for every action, there is an equal and opposite reaction.
The LEAP is a high bypass ratio engine, which means that a large amount of air bypasses the core of the engine to be ejected directly into the exhaust stream. The fan acts like a propeller: its curved rotating blades accelerate the airflow into the engine. Lighter composite materials provide better efficiency and resistance.
Ultra efficient compressors deliver optimum air pressure and temperature conditions for combustion. The LEAP engine burns less fuel than former engines. In addition, the fuel nozzles mix fuel and air before they enter the combustor, creating a homogeneous mixture that minimizes the peak temperature during combustion. This technology significantly reduces emissions.
The Combustion Chamber is the heart of the engine, where energy is created through combustion of fuel and compressed air.
Advanced material and aerodynamics make the Turbines much more efficient and durable. The pressure and speed of the hot gases provide the force needed to turn the turbines and its shaft, which in turn drives the compressor and fan.
If you wish to know more about MRO industry and where does India stands, please read my article: A Neglected Indian Industry: MRO