May.28, 2013
GE Aviation and Sigma Labs, Inc. signed a Joint Technology Development Agreement (JTDA) to advance and implement in-process inspection technologies for additive manufactured jet engine components.
The mutually-developed inspection technology will verify the quality and geometry of additive components during the additive build process, increasing additive production speeds up to 25 percent in support of GE Aviation's growing production rates.
"Today, post-build inspection procedures account for as much as 25 percent of the time required to produce an additively manufactured engine component," said Greg Morris, GE Aviation's business development leader for additive manufacturing. "By conducting those inspection procedures while the component is being built, GE Aviation and Sigma labs will expedite production rates for GE's additive manufactured engine components like the LEAP fuel nozzle."
By 2020, GE Aviation will produce more than 100,000 additive manufactured components for the LEAP(tm) and GE9X engines. GE will install 19 additive manufactured fuel nozzles on every LEAP engine, which has amassed more than 4,500 orders. The LEAP fuel nozzle is up to 25 percent lighter and five-times more durable than traditionally manufactured fuel nozzles, leading to significant fuel savings.
Additive manufacturing enables optimized designs for complex components. GE Aviation uses additive manufacturing methods such as direct metal laser melting (DMLM) to build 3D-designed production engine components that traditional manufacturing methods are incapable of producing.
GE's additive manufactured components weigh less than conventional parts because they replace complex assemblies with single pieces, reducing the need for brazing and welding. Additive manufacturing also generates less scrap material during the fabrication process.
The additive manufacturing process involves taking digital designs from computer aided design (CAD) software, and laying horizontal cross-sections to manufacture the part. The process creates the layered cross-sections using a laser beam to melt the raw material.
Posted in 3D Printing Applications
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