Morgan Advanced Materials has developed a proprietary leachable material which it says cuts investment casting times in turbine engine blades by up to 20 percent.
The Technical Ceramics business of Morgan Advanced Materials has developed the LEMA range of proprietary alumina-based materials. The new material shortens leaching cycles for alumina core support rods used in the production of turbine engine blades, while still providing the significant mechanical strength needed for robust production.
Speeding it up
Typical alumina rods are renowned for their strength and load-bearing capabilities. However, it can take several days to fully leach the materials, resulting in delays within the production process. In comparison, like-for-like LEMA 250 parts will experience approximately a 20 percent mass reduction after 20 hours (at 300°F (149°C) and 185 psi), Morgan says.
“A comparable alumina part to LEMA 250 does not show any mass loss under the same conditions,” a release from the company notes.
Jennifer Kachala, Product Engineer at Morgan’s Technical Ceramics business said “At a time when demand for turbine engine blades is expected to grow substantially over the next few years, the enhanced leachability of LEMA rods have been developed at exactly the right moment to help shorten processing times for casting manufacturers.
“Investment casting businesses will need to prove they can meet demand for the ramping build schedules of new engine programmes. LEMA can help them achieve this while saving on costs.”
She added: “The global investment casting industry has experienced the pain point of long production times for years due to legacy materials and leaching processes. Morgan has overcome this challenge with LEMA. Our new material for support rods has been extensively tested, optimised to deliver strength and shorten production times, reducing cycle times and costs in casting turbine blades.
“As a result, our customers can now meet growing demand, with improved quality for the aerospace and industrial gas turbine industries.”
