In cooperation with research partners Rolls-Royce plc and University of Applied Sciences Rapperswil and funded by the European Union within the CleanSky Initiative, FACC AG has been presented with this year's JEC European Innovation Award in the aeronautics category for a particularly lightweight Composite Annulus Filler for jet engines. The award ceremony took place yesterday as part of the leading JEC Composites trade fair being held in Paris from 11 to 13 March.
A total of 15 companies and their partners were honored this year at JEC, the world's largest composites trade fair with more than 1,200 exhibiting companies and around 30,000 international visitors. With a network numbering 250,000 experts, JEC is the largest international organization for promoting the use and further development of composite materials in industrial applications. The European industry award honors outstanding technical innovations in the field of composites, which possess high market potential.
Significant contribution to weight reduction
The main parameter for the efficiency and economy of a jet engine is the engine diameter. Larger diameters increase the flight performance of the engine, although they normally result in increased weight. Engine manufacturers are therefore relying increasingly on cost-effective, fiber-reinforced plastics, which are characterized by low weight while featuring outstanding mechanical properties.
During the course of the research cooperation, FACC developed an innovative annulus filler from composite materials, which will supersede the current heavy and expensive metal generation and be employed in the next generation of Rolls-Royce Trent engines, the Advance. The ring-shaped component is situated between the fan blades and ensures optimum aerodynamics by guiding the air flow to the fan blades under rotation conditions. Although the Annulus Filler is a comparatively small component, the conversion to composite construction provides a major benefit: A significant contribution can be made to weight reduction with the new solution, particularly as between 18 and 22 fillers are installed in each engine. The reduced mass also provides for a lower load on the fan disk, upon which the fillers are anchored, thereby leading to further material, cost, and energy savings.
The new filler is more than 40% lighter than its predecessor. With a component weight of less than half a kilogram, the part must still be designed in such a way that it can bear loads generated by the centrifugal forces of up to 2,500 kilograms. This mechanical property and the requirement for a production-friendly design to ensure cost-effective manufacturing in large volumes were the overriding objectives during component development, which the research and development team at FACC fulfilled optimally.
The produced Annulus Filler has meanwhile been integrated into a prototype jet engine and is being subjected to exhaustive tests on the ground prior to the component being tested in-flight from August 2014 onwards. In future engine generations from Rolls-Royce, the newly developed fillers will help in constructing more efficient and economical aircraft and in making flying "greener".
About FACC
FACC AG is one of the world’s leading companies in the design, development and production of advanced fiber reinforced composite components and systems for the aviation industry. Their range of products reaches from structural components for the fuselage and wings to engine components to complete passenger cabins for commercial aircraft, business jets and helicopters. FACC is a supplier to all large aircraft manufacturers such as Airbus, Boeing, Bombardier, Embraer, Sukhoi, and COMAC as well as for engine manufacturers and sub-suppliers of manufacturers. In the business year of 2012/13, FACC achieved a turnover of 433.91 million Euros. The company currently employs 2,600 employees.
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For additional information please contact:
Andrea Schachinger
Corporate Communication
Tel: ++43 (0) 59/616-1194
E-Mail: a.schachinger@facc.com