J. J. Moor, Pratt & Whitney, East Hartford, CT
The primary goal of this project, Additive Manufacturing for Superalloys – Producibility and Cost Evaluation, is to achieve cost and lead-time reductions of up to 50% for high-temperature static turbine engine components such as diffuser and turbine cases. Such components are used in virtually all military and commercial engines. The majority of these components are fabricated from either wrought or cast Inconel 718 or Waspaloy. Each of these material forms present some common and unique issues that result in these parts being some of the most expensive found in the engine. This program addresses the cost-driving issues through the development and implementation of additive manufacturing techniques that can be used to fabricate hardware in more cost-effective ways based on overall part and feature specific geometries. This program was set up in a gated fashion which is split into five tasks:
¨ Task 1 – Concept Identification
¨ Task 2 – Feasibility Investigation
¨ Task 3 – Technical and Business Evaluation
¨ Task 4 – Testing and Validation
¨ Task 5 – Production Implementation Planning
Currently the team is working on Task 4 which is evaluating the feasibility of additive manufacturing on representative case hardware. The current task is targeted for completion by the end of the year. The final task (Task 5) is scheduled to run from February through May of 2008.
Summary: The primary goal of this project is to achieve cost and lead-time reductions for high-temperature static turbine engine components such as diffuser and turbine cases. This program addresses the cost-driving issues through the development and implementation of additive manufacturing techniques that can be used to fabricate hardware in more cost-effective ways based on overall part and feature specific geometries.
