Morgan Advanced Materials is a leading global material manufacturer and has developed a proprietary leachable material that can significantly reduce the production cycle (20%) of turbine engine turbine blades.
The commercial aerospace industry is facing major reforms. According to market research, it is expected that the commercial aircraft turbine blades and blades market will grow at a CAGR of 6% by 2023.
Fuel prices continue to rise, stricter regulations on noise and carbon dioxide emissions, and increased competition from low-cost airlines are forcing manufacturers to develop modern aircraft engines that are lightweight and fuel efficient. To help aerospace investment foundries meet this surge in demand, Morgan Advanced Materials' technical ceramics business has developed the LEMA ™ series of proprietary alumina-based materials. The new material shortens the leaching cycle of the alumina core support rods used to produce turbine engine blades, while still providing the significant mechanical strength required for production.
Typical alumina rods are known for their strength and carrying capacity. However, it can take several days for the material to completely leach, which can lead to longer production times. In comparison, parts similar to LEMA ™ 250 lose about 20% in mass after 20 hours (at 300 ° F (149 ° C) and 185 psi). Alumina parts comparable to LEMA ™ 250 will not experience any quality loss under the same conditions.
Jennifer Kachala, Product Engineer, Ceramics Business Unit, Morgan Technical said: "It is expected that at a time when the demand for turbine engine blades will increase significantly in the next few years, the LEMA ™ Leachable Rods have been developed at the right time to help shorten the processing of foundry manufacturers. Time. The foundry business will prove that they can meet the needs of the new engine's growth plan. LEMA ™ can help them achieve this while saving costs. "
LEMA ™ enhanced extractable bars can save even more cost and time. Although quartz support rods can provide a cost-effective solution for alumina in terms of leachability, they do not have the mechanical strength of LEMATM. This makes them less suitable for applications with irregular part geometries or alloys requiring higher strength support rods. LEMA ™ components are about 1.5 times stronger than quartz
Jennifer Kachala, product engineer at Morgan Technical Ceramics said, "The global investment casting industry has been suffering from long pain points for many years due to traditional materials and leaching processes. Morgan overcomes this challenge with LEMA ™. We use it for support New materials have been extensively tested and optimized to provide strength and reduce production time, shortening the production cycle time and cost of turbine blades. As a result, our customers can now meet growing demand while improving the aerospace and industrial gas turbine industries. product quality."