Pratt:
12 February 2020:Pratt & Whitney has disclosed the industrialisation of the use of 3D-printing for an aero-engine component – a first in the maintenance, repair and overhaul (MRO) of commercial engines. The 3D-printed part is projected to be part of the repair process by mid-2020 at Pratt & Whitney’s repair specialist in Singapore, Component Aerospace Singapore.
This innovative approach was the outcome of an integrative effort between Pratt & Whitney’s engineering experts, its repair specialist Component Aerospace Singapore, in cooperation with the Land Systems arm of ST Engineering, to bring faster and flexible repair solutions to support Pratt & Whitney engines. The 3D-printed aero-engine component taps the production-level 3D capabilities at ST Engineering and strong domain knowledge in metal printing via a controlled process operationalised by Pratt & Whitney. This 3D printed part will first be used in a fuel system component on one of Pratt & Whitney’s engine models. The alternative material solution gives an added advantage of decreasing dependency on current material supply from conventional fabrication processes such as forging and casting.
“Thanks to the out-of-the-box thinking by our employees at Component Aerospace Singapore, we are now another step closer to scaling the technology to meet our growing aftermarket operations, and industrializing 3D printing for the industry. This groundbreaking innovation is part of the wider technology roadmap by Pratt & Whitney to introduce advanced technologies that integrate artificial intelligence (AI), robotics and automation across our operations as part of our digital transformation,” said Brendon McWilliam, executive director, Aftermarket Operations, Asia Pacific. “We are well-placed to better meet today’s demands and anticipate tomorrow’s customer needs, without compromising our high standards of quality and reliability.”
“3D printing will be a game-changer for the MRO industry worldwide, especially in servicing even more commercial engines. This technology enables greater flexibility in our inventory management. Following this trailblazing initiative, both Pratt & Whitney and ST Engineering will examine how additive manufacturing can be applied for other aviation components and other engine types, and further developed to enable hybrid repairs and realise the full potential of 3D printing for commercial aftermarket operations,” said Chin-Huat Sia, principal engineer, Component Aerospace Singapore.
