NEWTEAM has developed three materials oriented to the PB-AM technologies.
To follow the today aero-engine market needs, an exploitation of high performance materials is required. The introduction of advanced alloys capable to withstand higher operational temperature and/or capable to exhibit higher performances at a given temperature is an never-ending focus of the material research. Additionally, to couple the new materials with advanced manufacturing systems, such as PB-AM, will allow to produce complex geometry components and to reduce their overall buy-to-fly ratio.
Outcome of the NEWTEAM project could be transferred not only on LPT blades production, but also to other aero components that can be optimized and produced by AM PBF in a convenient way.
The introduction of more AM generated parts is of major importance, in the current aeronautical engines sector, in order to reduce the final aircraft weight and to improve the overall engine efficiency.
Today, supporting the European Union aviation means to support an important sector that creates economic growth and wealth, as well, and provides highly skilled jobs. This is particularly relevant in view of the consequences of the current pandemic Covid-19 crisis and of the war in the East of Europe. These two events have led economic constraints for the aeronautic sector, uncertainties on future investments and developments and have further raised the energy cost affair. Furthermore, the dramatic crisis of raw materials supply chain makes even more critical the use of materials like those used within the NEWTEAM project, that include chemical elements that are critical either/both in economic or/and in supply risk terms. For instance, the cost of Ni is daily fluctuating and Ni-products are facing today unpredictable delivery delays. Therefore, the extension of the use of Additive Manufacturing for producing strategical components like turbine blades can have a very positive impact in view of its inherent efficient use of raw materials and energy.
