Fundamentals of Additive Manufacturing

Lesson 3: AM Case Study: GE LEAP Fuel Nozzle

LEAP Engine Challenge

• LEAP (Leading Edge Aviation Propulsion) • Engine made by CFM

– CFM is GE & Snecma partnership• Exceeds required NOx emission reduction

by 50%• 15% better fuel economy

Source: CFM

Fundamentals - Case Study 2

LEAP Applications

• Airbus A320neo

• Boeing 737 MAX

Source: Airbus

Source: Boeing

Fundamentals - Case Study 3

Fuel Nozzle Function

• Adds fuel to air from compressor section• Air/fuel mixture ignited in burner can• Must withstand high temperature

Compressor

Nozzle

Burner

Source: GE Aviation

Fundamentals - Case Study 4

Fuel Nozzle Design Goals

• 15% better fuel economy• NOx reduction• 5x increase in service life• 25% weight reduction

Source: CFM

Fundamentals - Case Study 5

Traditional Manufacturing Case

• Extended supply chain for fasteners, gaskets, castings, machining of castings

• Factory space and work stations needed for in-coming certification, logistics, multiple work stations with work flow balance, and quality assurance testing

• Training and certification for subassembly workforcePart consolidation improves subassembly reliability and shrinks logistical foot print

Fundamentals - Case Study 6

Fuel Nozzle Design Brief

Source: GE Aviation

• Complex shape needed 20 piece assembly – Hidden channels, cavities, mounting

bracket– Impossible to machine as a single part– Uneconomical to cast as a single part

• AM necessary to meet goals

Fundamentals - Case Study 7

GE Commits to AM

• Cobalt-chromium PBF process• $50M invested to re-tool Auburn, AL plant• 10 AM machines to be installed; capacity

for 50 AM cells

Source: GE Aviation

Fundamentals - Case Study 8

GE Commits to AM

• Nozzle production starts 2015• 1,000/year to begin; 40,000/year by 2020• 19 nozzles per engine x 6,000 engines

ordered = 114,000 nozzles

Source: GE Aviation

Fundamentals - Case Study 9

Future Challenges

• Existing machines not efficient enough to economically produce high-production parts

• Next generation machines need to be 3-4x faster

• Speed & efficiency goals will be met by– Higher absorptivity wavelength lasers– Parallel laser processing– Integrate AM in conventional CNC machines– Hybrid DED manufacturing with tool path

distortion control– Enhance alloy design from existing alloys for

AM

Fundamentals - Case Study 10

Growth of AM

• Aerospace market expected to reach $1 billion/year in near future– Source: Credit Suisse, 2013

• GE investment shows value of AM to propel new design concepts and meet production of critical metal parts

Source: GE Aviation

Fundamentals - Case Study 11

ResourcesNorthern Illinois University (NIU)

Additive Manufacturing LabFederico Sciammarella, Director

sciammarella@niu.edu

Northwestern UniversityMechanical Engineering Department

McCormick School of EngineeringJian Cao

jcao@northwestern.edu

National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST)Engineering Laboratory

Kevin Jurrens, Deputy Division Chiefkevin.jurrens@nist.gov

This work was performed under the following financial assistance award 70NANB13H194 from the U.S. Department of Commerce, National Institute of Standards and Technology. The views expressed do not necessarily reflect the official policies of NIST; nor does mention by

trade names, commercial practices, or organizations imply endorsement of the U.S. Government.