Engine manufacturer Pratt & Whitney, an RTX Group company, is currently developing a new repair process for geared turbofan (GTF) engine components based on additive manufacturing. It uses Directed Energy Deposition (DED), a process that enables worn or damaged components to be rebuilt and made usable again in a targeted manner. The technology was developed at the company’s own North American Technology Accelerator in Florida together with the Connecticut Center for Advanced Technology and the RTX Research Center.
The additive repair is intended to significantly speed up the existing maintenance process and reduce the number of machining steps required. According to the company, the use of DED reduces the overall repair time by more than 60 percent. In particular, the majority of retooling and heat treatment cycles are eliminated, which reduces both energy consumption and complexity in workshop operations. At the same time, the process reduces dependence on sometimes strained supply chains for spare parts.
“A more agile, additive repair process allows us to better serve our customers by improving turnaround time, while reducing tooling costs, complexity and set up,” said Kevin Kirkpatrick, vice president of Aftermarket Operations at Pratt & Whitney. “At the same time, it reduces our dependency on current material supply constraints. Additive technology has the potential to support a range of critical GTF part repairs and we’re actively working to explore additional opportunities for implementation.”
In the long term, the additive technology will not only repair structural housing areas, but will also be used for worn components that are worn out during regular operation. In addition to the development of DED repair technology, Pratt & Whitney plans to expand other manufacturing technologies such as digital inspection, adaptive machining and automated coating. The company expects its Accelerator programs alone to generate annual savings of at least 24 million US dollars.
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