Key component: UEC introduces new technologies for the production of aircraft engine blades

A turbojet blade in production

Russia is one of the few countries in the world capable of independently developing and mass-producing aviation gas turbine engines. The United Engine Corporation and enterprises from its structure are working on promising projects of power plants and creating new technologies for their production. Recently it became known about the introduction of two new inventions in the field of blade manufacturing.

New Technologies

At the end of 2019, the country's largest specialized center for the production of blades for gas turbine engines was opened on the basis of the UEC-Saturn enterprise in Rybinsk. It was planned to use the products of this center mainly in the manufacture of domestic motors; part of the products was intended for export. Over the next few years, production was to reach its maximum capacity and produce 900 thousand blades per year.

At the beginning of April 2022, Rostec announced new advances in the field of engines. UEC has developed and is implementing new technologies for the production of blades. A new device for swirling the blades and a technology for hybrid forging of a blade from a two-phase titanium alloy are proposed.

Two promising inventions are aimed at optimizing the manufacturing process. They allow you to increase the accuracy and quality of production, as well as reduce labor costs and eliminate human intervention. At the same time, the used production equipment and tooling are easily included in the established technological processes.

Experienced PD-8 on a test bench

New technologies are already being used in the development of several promising engine projects. In addition, the Rybinsk Center "ODK-Saturn" has mastered new ideas and is now using them in the mass production of blades for the existing line of engines. In the future, he will have to expand the range of finished products made on new technologies.

New technologies are also shown to professionals and the general public, and they receive well-deserved appreciation. In March, they were presented at the international salon of inventions "Archimedes-2022", where they received gold and silver awards.

Two inventions

The first innovation from the UEC - the so-called. blade spinning device. This product is developed by our industry and used together with domestic production equipment; it is fully integrated into the technological process. With the help of such a device, the contours of the blade are formed, and high accuracy and productivity are achieved.

The center for the production of blades "ODK-Saturn" has mastered a new device and methods of its use. Now it is used to make the blades of one of the promising aircraft engines. There are plans to expand such production. The existing line will be able to produce blades of various types and sizes, incl. oversized.

Exhibition layout of the product PD-14

The second invention of the UEC is the technology of hybrid forging of a product from a two-phase titanium alloy. The blade manufacturing process begins with pre-treatment of the workpiece, which includes a number of operations, incl. heating to optimum temperatures. Then the workpiece enters the press, which gives it the desired shape.

The peculiarity of the new technology lies in the fact that it forms the so-called from a titanium ingot. two-phase composite, the components of which have different characteristics. The outer layer of such a metal acquires hardness and strength, allowing it to withstand loads. At the same time, the inner part of the part retains plasticity and flexibility.

As with other manufacturing technologies, a hybrid stamped blade is a monolithic part of the required shape and mass. At the same time, the finished product has higher technical characteristics. It also has a positive effect on the parameters of the engine as a whole: a technical and economic gain is achieved.

It should be noted that the two new technologies were the result of long and complex research work involving various specialized organizations. With their help, a scientific and technical reserve was created, which now finds practical application and has a positive effect on the development of engine building.

General view of the promising PD-35

Bottom line

According to Rostec, new production technologies are already being used in the manufacture of PD-8, PD-14 and PD-35 turbojet engines. These products have different technical characteristics, and this shows the versatility and potential of the new inventions of the UEC.

These engines are intended for a number of models and modifications of modern and advanced aircraft. So, PD-14 of different versions is used in the project of the medium-haul liner MS-21 and its variants. The possibility of its use in the new version of the Tu-204 aircraft or in the modernization of other existing models is also being considered.

The promising PD-8 is planned to be used on new modifications of the short-haul SSJ and the multi-purpose Be-200, which are made taking into account import substitution. Its introduction on other types as a replacement for unavailable products is not excluded. Just the day before, it was announced the completion of bench tests of such an engine. Soon, new tests will begin on autonomous installations and flying laboratories, which brings the start of mass production and installation on aircraft closer.

The most powerful PD-35 engine is planned to be used in promising projects of long-haul wide-body airliners. Tests and development of individual units of such an engine are already being carried out. At the same time, aircraft for it have not yet been created. In this case, work is carried out with an eye to the distant future.

Experienced MS-21 with PD-14 engines

It can be assumed that the scope of new technologies will not be limited to the listed engines for civilian liners. They will be included in the production of other motors to obtain certain benefits and advantages. At the same time, the list of aircraft equipped with such engines will expand.

In addition, it is obvious that new inventions and technologies will follow the twisting device and stamping of the titanium composite. They will again positively affect the production of engines and the characteristics of finished products. In this case, we will again talk about a wide range of engines and aircraft.

Reasons for optimism

Thus, the enterprises of the United Engine Corporation and related organizations continue to work and show new successes. New engine models are being created, tested and integrated into aircraft engineering projects. Production capacities are also developing, both through the construction of new facilities and with the help of promising developments.

There are high hopes for new projects and technologies. In the current situation, the development of domestic aviation, civil and military, will be determined only by the capabilities and competencies of our science and industry. Fortunately, she does not stop working and does her best to solve the tasks. It faces certain difficulties and limitations, but the last news allow for restrained optimism.

Comments

[Lech from Android.]

An economical and powerful engine is everything for airliners.
It would be interesting to design the aircraft around the engine rather than attach it to the airframe.
Our country, like air, needs to develop now in all areas of mechanical engineering ... we need new precision machines, materials, operators, etc. ... we need everything of our own so as not to be in the grip of Western sanctions.
This is the only way we will survive in this world.
What the author described pleases ... thanks for the article.

[Stas157]

I was hoping to hear in this article something about the ceramic coating of the blades of the hot part of the engine. This is really new technology.

. Work in this area is also actively carried out by specialists of the Central Institute of Aviation Motors named after P.I. Baranov (CIAM), who study the "behavior" of new structural materials and their structures, for example, columnar ceramics, in flight conditions. Unlike metal, it withstands temperatures above 1100°C and is recognized by aviation specialists as the optimal material for protective coatings of turbine blades - the hot part of the engine.

[Ka-52]

about the ceramic coating of the blades of the hot part of the engine. This is really new technology.

In fact, this is not know-how and not new technologies for a long time. I met scientific articles on this topic in specialized journals 10 years ago. The possibility of using HRC for the ceramic layer based on REM zirconates has been tested and tested

[zenion]

Ka-52. The difference between article and production is not the same thing.

[zombirusrev]

Recognized by whom, by what specific specialists ... a link to the studio ...

[Eug]

With a good engine, the gates will fly - one of the jokes of the engine engineers (2nd faculty) of KhAI ..

[Soldatov V.]

How well everything is painted, and they do both, and the years fly by and the engine is still gone and gone. They focus on the process, not the result. How many people make this engine? 10-20 years? But there is no point. What is Manturov's salary? Does he work it out?

[Bacha]

I work as a polisher. I make blades for the 99th product, i.e. for AL 31F. As we did everything by hand, so we do. Introduced robots, yes. Then they redid it by hand.

[Luminman]

When I was studying, at a lecture on engine theory, we were told that the technology of forging and stamping compressor and turbine blades is yesterday and that somewhere in the depths of British laboratories they are trying to “grow” blades for turbojet engines from crystals. I used to follow these new products, and then I gave up - there was no time for this ... It turned out that things are still there!

[Oorfene Juice and his wooden soldiers]

Quote: Luminman

and that somewhere in the depths of British laboratories they are trying to "grow" blades for turbojet engines from crystals

In the US, precision casting is used.

[B-15]

Not surprised.
We have been using precision casting since the 70s.
And we were the first to make capillary cooling in a single-crystal turbine blade.

[Vladimir Michailovich]

The cut is built like this - the old Soviet development is taken, wrapped in a new wrapper, then an application is submitted to the Ministry of Industry and Trade, which buys the rights to the results of garbage R&D. This whole gang has already brought the country to a tsugunder with a critical dependence on foreign suppliers - just remember the epic with VAZ, KAMAZ, marine gas turbine engines, helicopter engines allegedly of Russian production.

[Bad_gr]

Quote: Luminman

this is yesterday and that somewhere in the depths of British laboratories they are trying to "grow" blades for turbojet engines from crystals. I used to follow these new products, and then I gave up - there was no time for this ... It turned out that things are still there!

They didn’t follow the news well if you didn’t know that even the first Su-27 engines had engines with single-crystal turbine blades.

[Oorfene Juice and his wooden soldiers]

Quote: B-15

We have been using precision casting since the 70s.

So "accurate" that the blades are manually finished by grinders.

[zombirusrev]

What exactly is the type of casting called ... with a reference :)

[B-15]

Not quite.
Problems remain only with the turbine and, possibly, the last stage of the compressor.

[TreeSmall]

Single-crystal blades have been “grown” for a long time.
Even under the USSR they did it.
According to the Bridgman method (or some other).
ProCAST 2009.0 Software: From Design to Manufacturing

[Siberian 66]

Author, in your photo MS - 21-300, as can be seen from the inscription on the board. These cars come with an Amer engine. Our PD-14 comes with MS-21-310 vehicles.

[New-pechkin]

Well, apparently the person was too lazy to find about such a photo. Or a person is not very in the subject about what he writes.

[Revolver]

Quote from: New-pechkin

Or a person is not very in the subject about what he writes.

He also calls these engines turbofan, although they are the most turbofan engines (if I translate the term turbofan correctly).

[B-15]

If correct, then a bypass turbojet engine with a high bypass ratio, and in the common people - a turbofan.

[BSD Fan]

You write correctly, but this is more of a professional term, turbofans are just an evolutionary development of turbojet (bypass ratio as shown by the "fan" of a turbojet engine.

[antivirus]

Restrained optimizm still needs to be kept in the hands .. Or heads.
And then it drains onto the parquet.
The latest breakthrough in aircraft engine building allows us to look into the future with restrained optimism.
In 00ggtak wrote.
After 14g, sanctions were written like that, some plans were outlined.
We are moving forward again.
There are no serial engines since 00.

[B-15]

When did you start developing the PD-14?
Today is the start of the series.
And it's not 22 years old, as you write.
It turns out the substitution of the time spent. And we made the family a little faster :-)

[antivirus]

Kogba started? Always.
See ps90 (?), ebn praised. In the 90s.
Everyone knew about: the plane is 5-7 years old. Engine - 10

[B-15]

The order and the allocation of funds for development were issued 12 years ago.
For development, it was necessary to calculate and protect the concept.
According to it, it became clear what parameters the components of the product should have. Hence the following requirements and new R&D to create these components.
And when was the first engineering rolled out?
Therefore, without knowing the essence, do not write nonsense.
As for the PS-90, please tell me which version, according to the number of upgrades, is now being produced and how much it differs in parameters from the first production ones?

[antivirus]

Delivered not necessary +.
I'm talking about the meaning of life, and not when someone received an advance and opened work, and so on until R&D.
The task is to occupy the air transportation market. Falling short of your promises.
Aliens fly behind our clouds.
And who and what worked there and here is empty.
Janitors clean up leaves and cigarette butts every day and decades.
Life goes on.

[Vladimir Michailovich]

PD-14, there is an enlarged PS-12 started by the development of the 90s for the promising Yak-242, which is already 30 years old. The PD-14 program itself was initiated as an instrument of pressure on PW in order to monopolize the Russian market in relation to the products of this company. Perm motors were supposed to be destroyed as an independent manufacturer of gas turbine engines - the last attempt was in 2013.

[VicktorVR]

I read the article - as if listening to a speech of some general director of a plant. A maximum of different words, the more complex, the better, a minimum of specifics (both numbers and surnames).
How much more profitable is the new technology?
How much longer is the durability of new blades?
Who did it and what did they get for it?

And the photo at the beginning is me, as a fur technologist. processing, I would be ashamed to show people. What is shown is in a good way only for experimental work ...
Why such a huge machine? You can use much less and half the price.
Adaptation is generally good. Carefully and well done.
But - for experimental work, assembled from pieces, like Lego, for mass production, it is necessary to do something else on the basis of this.
Collet chuck in spindle. Again, it is convenient for pilot production (not expensive with average characteristics, easy to use, wide functionality). A high-precision collet chuck and collets for it cost twice or three times more than average ones.
For mass production of blades, I would recommend a shrink fit. Yes, more expensive (average collet), yes, for a specific diameter (standard) tool, yes, you need a high-frequency clamping / unclamping installation (perhaps one for a dozen machines), but the highest clamping accuracy (important just for "fine" work, due to high hardness, for tool life and surface roughness), long overhangs are possible to access difficult places, keeps "dead", quick tool change, does not clog with chips.

[d4rkmesa]

This is Rostec, huge machines, workshops, etc. Exhaust - units of products.

[B-15]

Quote: Bacha

I work as a polisher. I make blades for the 99th product, i.e. for AL 31F. As we did everything by hand, so we do. Introduced robots, yes. Then they redid it by hand.

Let's compare properly.
What temperature parameters does the 99th have? What blades do you make, and which ones do you mean in the article?
Don't you know that by changing the process conditions, you can get a worthless product by reducing costs and time?
Increased here the temperature of stamping turbine blades. The result is a break in the shoulder blades with victims.
Therefore, without comprehensive testing, the introduction of new technologies is impossible. Yes, you will need new equipment.

[ramzay21]

The fact that new engines are doing it well, but why haven't traitors and pests who pushed through imported engines and imported aircraft been arrested? Why is a wide-body aircraft not being designed for the PD-35? Or then the finished engine will be lying around, not needed by anyone, until it becomes obsolete. Why is PD-16 not being made for Tu-204, Il-76 and Il-96?

[Aviator_]

Why is a wide-body aircraft not being designed for the PD-35?

It was designed, it seems, long-range CR-929, jointly with the Chinese, but then everything died out.

[ramzay21]

It will be a Chinese plane, our technology was simply transferred to them. And I'm talking about our aircraft, some kind of Il-96 with two engines or a new development like the MS-21

[Aviator_]

It will be a Chinese plane,

It will now be a Chinese aircraft, but it was thought of as a joint one. In particular, the composite wing should have been ours. But something went wrong.

[ramzay21]

The Chinese got what they need. This has never happened before and here it is again.

[Vladimir Michailovich]

What you need to understand when reading this variable note, and here's what:
-an imported investment casting line was launched on Saturn - this "new" technology has been around for more than 5000 years, and this does not attract a breakthrough.
- Hot stamping, well known from the practice of production, was declared an unprecedented super-achievement.
But what really is?
- The management of the UEC deliberately included a number of imported units in the design of the PD-14, which, taking into account the current moment, looks like sabotage.
- Blade twist - if the blades are cast, then nothing needs to be twisted, the same applies to composite blades.
-Where are the marine gas turbine engines promised by Saturn to the fleet since 2003?
- What does Saturn really produce after the completion of contracts for the Soviet D-30 for the PRC?
What is the result: The budget was lightened by a certain amount of banknotes, by carrying out "garbage" R&D.

[Ka-52]

what kind of nonsense are you writing here and why?

-Saturn launched an imported investment casting line

firstly, the line was designed by VIAM and manufactured in Rzhev.

this "new" technology is already more than 5000 years old, and this does not pull at all for a breakthrough.

yes, the technology is far from new, but it is the development of our engine building. There is no reason to howl "it's all gone"

- The management of the UEC deliberately included a number of imported units in the design of the PD-14, which, taking into account the current moment, looks like sabotage.

PD-14 was developed taking into account the realities of a decade ago and there is no reason to bawl about "taking into account the current moment". And yes, tell us exactly what, according to your data, of the PD-14 components is produced abroad.

-Where are the marine gas turbine engines promised by Saturn to the fleet since 2003?

Firstly, in 2003, all plans for marine gas turbine engines for the Navy were associated with Zarya, or Kolomna, and not with Rybinsk. But DGTA for 22350 was tested a year ago.

- What does Saturn really produce after the completion of contracts for the Soviet D-30 for the PRC?

what??? in your alternative reality, the UEC lives only thanks to orders from China?

[Vladimir Michailovich]

You need to write fantasy novels.

[km-21]

In my personal opinion, one should not get too carried away today, though promising, but very expensive scientific developments. First of all, it is necessary to plug the holes that were formed as a result of the sanctions. Let the solutions to these issues not be ultra-modern, but for the first time this is enough. And in the future, when the most pressing problems are solved, then it will be time for improvements in old technologies.

[Ka-52]

PD-14 was developed mostly for sale. Because the needs of the local aviation industry (at that time) were extremely small in order to pay for R&D, certification and production deployment. Hence the desire to lay in it the characteristics that allow it to compete in the aircraft engine market.

[km-21]

The PD-14 will go on sale only after several million hours of positive statistics have flown. In addition, for its successful sale, it will be necessary to create a service network around the world with the appropriate logistics of spare parts. According to the pace that today's aircraft industry demonstrates, this is several decades exclusively under the wing of the MS-21. And this is at best.

[Ka-52]

only after a few million hours of flying

stupidity. Boeing CF6 began to be installed on 767 without any millions. Like RB211. As well as dozens of other engines from major manufacturers.

In addition, for its successful sale, it will be necessary to create a service network around the world.

where did you get this? Nobody creates their own networks. It's all solved with the help of licenses. As for parts, yes I agree. A big problem?

[km-21]

You probably do not quite understand the difference between the American Boeing and the Russian UEC. In fact, you don't understand at all. American (and Western European) engines have a monopoly on almost the entire world market, and the Russian PD-14 will have to chop off some slice of this pie from the Americans. It is not difficult to guess that the West will try to prevent this. Therefore, PD-14 will not receive any licenses without a severe and lengthy political struggle. Not to mention a purely technical procedure, which is also carried out in more than one year even under the most favorable political conditions.

[Ka-52]

Dear Michael, do not confuse xpen with a finger. First, Boeing does NOT make aircraft engines. They are made by Whitney and Pratt, General Electric, Roll-Royce. And the concept of "own" in relation to an aircraft manufacturer is too far-fetched. Neither General Electric nor Roll-Royce will be able to lobby for additional requirements for specifically Russian aircraft engines. The mechanism is the same for everyone. Secondly, the requirements for certification are one thing, and the fictitious requirements for a multimillion-dollar raid and the availability of your own service are another matter.

[neworange88]

Quote: km-21

You probably do not quite understand the difference between the American Boeing and the Russian UEC. In fact, you don't understand at all. American (and Western European) engines have a monopoly on almost the entire world market, and the Russian PD-14 will have to chop off some slice of this pie from the Americans. It is not difficult to guess that the West will try to prevent this. Therefore, PD-14 will not receive any licenses without a severe and lengthy political struggle. Not to mention a purely technical procedure, which is also carried out in more than one year even under the most favorable political conditions.

PD-14 has already received all possible international certificates. MS-21-310 aircraft with PD-14 engines will be able to operate international flights.

.The Design Bureau of JSC UEC-Aviadvigatel, which is part of the United Engine Corporation of the State Corporation Rostec, received an addition to the type certificate of the PD-14 engine of the 2020 model. The promising engine, which is designed and manufactured by UEC, fully meets the requirements of the International Civil Aviation Association (ICAO) for emissions of harmful substances.

The PD-14 engine was first certified by the Federal Air Transport Agency in 2018 and at that time complied with ICAO standards. In January 2020, a new international standard came into force, in which the norms for smoke and emission of non-volatile particles were changed, which required additional certification.

The measurement of PD-14 emissions was carried out with the involvement of specialists from the Zurich School of Applied Sciences, Switzerland (ZHAW). The joint work showed that the Russian engine complies with the requirements of ICAO Annex 16, Volume II. This is confirmed by a certificate of conformity issued by the Swiss Federal Office for Civil Aviation (FOCA).

“The addition to the type certificate of the PD-14 engine is an important stage for the development of the entire Russian aviation industry,” said Yury Shmotin, Deputy General Director, General Designer of the UEC. - MS-21-310 aircraft with PD-14 engines will be able to operate international flights. The second important point is that Russia will now be able to supply aircraft with engines manufactured by UEC to the international market.”

https://sdelanounas.ru/blogs/139332/

[km-21]

You can at least completely glue this engine with all kinds of certificates. But without the most important certificate - the interest of a real buyer, this engine will not be sold. And in order to get this interest, you will have to somehow overcome the interests of American and European manufacturers, who in turn will try to prevent this. Their monopoly influence on the global aviation market makes it possible to do this even despite the rosy optimism of some commentators on this forum.

[neworange88]

To begin with, it would be nice to force out Boeings and Airbuses from the Russian market by importing them with the MS-21-310, SSJ NEW and Il-96-400M.

[km-21]

That's it!

[Pavel57]

PD-14 on Tu-204 is an interesting idea.

[Down]

Grandfather Lenin told you - "Do not listen. What they tell you (write), watch what they do, this is their true thoughts"

[iouris]

GTE blades are like processors in IT. And who got the Soviet enterprises?

[gridasov]

The concept of a completely new aircraft engine lies primarily in the architecture and algorithms for providing a new physical process. Then the blades act as inductive elements to form a potential difference at its ends. This means that weakly radioactive material can also be used. This is done in order to create an explosive effect at the tips of the blades. Then we will get an incredible temperature impulse outside the plane of the blades and an additional impulse to spin the entire rotor. Such an architecture will make it possible to create both a nuclear engine and a nuclear reactor of a new type and generally move to a new understanding of the process and tasks.