Replies to post #2666 on Arcam AB fka AMAVF

[flying_trader]

Where do you find this good stuff....

I am thinking Avio doesn't necessarily = EBM as for one they also have laser printers, but I suspect they also contract out casting. If I am reading between the lines correctly, GE delegates the development and production to them and they are free to use subs themselves...

This is just conjecture on my part as I don't think there are any EBM blades in the current run of LEAP engines...

[charlie T colton]

CFM Leap multi-sourcing all engine parts - Mecachrome

Mecachrome is one of the suppliers of TiAl blades for the LEAP engine. I haven't found what technology(s) Mecachrome uses to manufacture the LEAP blades. Mecachrome does have good experience with EBM production.

CFM LEAP-1A Achieves Joint EASA / FAA Certification - 11.20.2015 (a recent update on the engine - no connection with EBM)

My previous post explained how I found that CFM was extending to the Leap its policy of multi-sourcing all engine parts.

I recalled investorhub123's 10/14/14 post about Snecma's contract with Mecachrome for titanium-aluminide (TiAl) blades on the Leap engine.

I then remembered that I had looked to see how much Mecachrome was involved with Arcam and EBM. I didn't find much at the time. IH123's link to the FastEBM project doesn't work now. It did then. This link to the FASTEBM project still works. MECACHROME FRANCE SAS is listed as a partner.

I've looked again to see if and how Mecachrome has experience with EBM.

I found this - Logic For Qualification And Industrialisation Of Additive Layer Manufacturing Parts For Spatial Application It was part of the Proceedings of the 12th European Conference on Spacecraft Structures, Materials and Environmental Testing, held 20-23 March, 2012 at ESTEC, the Netherlands.
The abstract follows:

ASTRIUM Space Transportation has been manufacturing composite equipments for satellite for 25 years. For this business, the development of Additive Layer Manufacturing (ALM) processes has been identified as a real opportunity to improve design and performances. For satellite equipments, ASTRIUM ST has chosen to investigate in the Electron Beam Melting process (patented EBM® process from Arcam AB company) for the manufacturing of Titanium parts, in collaboration with MECACHROME who has developed strong skills in this ALM process. This first development step has been achieved by introducing a titanium part realised by EBM on an equipment of Atlantic Bird 7 satellite launched in September 2011. The new step consists in the formal industrialisation of the EBM process for the procurement of titanium parts for satellite equipments. The present paper describes the logic retained for this industrialisation. It includes the technical requirements but also the verifications and inspections which have to be performed to guarantee that technical requirements are met.

About Astrium - In late 2013 Astrium was merged with Cassidian, the defence division of EADS and Airbus Military to form Airbus Defence and Space. EADS itself was reorganized as the Airbus Group, with three divisions that include Airbus, Airbus Defence and Space, and Airbus Helicopters.

[pdb2]

Will EBM be involved in printing LEAP blades?

I do not pretend to know the technical aspects of the LEAP engine nor am I privy to the manufacturing decisions. But I do appreciate your providing the manufacturing data and your expertise and I have read multiple articles which suggest the Arcam/Avio blade will be at least present in part on the GE 90, 9X, GENX and LEAP. Am I right?

Couple of questions and then one postulation. (1) I see that for all 3 aircraft Leaps Avio and mecachrome will be suppliers and that there are multiple suppliers for a lot of the engine parts, including blades. (2) Both Avio and mecachrome use EBM to manufacture the blades.

Therefore, would it be a reasonable conclusion that in order to have multiple manufactures for the blades, that at least some of the LEAP blades will be EBM produced???? Hopefully, the answer will be yes. And if so, any estimation of how many printers may be used in the process?? I think I read that the Avio process can produce 8 blades in 7 hours??

Your opinion/expertise will be appreciated as this answer will have a large impact on arcam printer sales.