NSERC/Pratt and Whitney Canada Industrial Research Chair in Structural Brazing and Processing of Powder Metallurgy Superalloys

点击翻译按钮获取中文摘要

Due to the rising cost of fuel, air travel has become a very cost sensitive industry. To remain globally**competitive, aero engine manufacturers such as Pratt and Whitney Canada (P&WC) have increasingly focused**on reducing manufacturing costs. A contributor to the cost of gas turbine engines is a high buy-to-fly ratio**(BTF) resulting from a heavy reliance of traditional manufacturing methods on material removal and waste (i.e.**machining of wrought billets). Primary metal production is a significant contributor to the production of**greenhouse gases and the Ni and Cr elements contained within engine parts are non renewable limited**resources. Therefore a high BTF has a significant negative environmental impact.**Aerospace companies are adopting more near net shape (NS) manufacturing to reduce BTF, overall**manufacturing costs and develop green technologies. P&WC is pursuing a net shape method which combines**furnace brazing with powder injected molding (PIM). The challenge is to create PIM parts and brazed joints**that have mechanical properties and performance equal to parts made using traditional manufacturing methods.**The goal of this research program is to develop and use a number of advanced thermal analysis techniques to**gain a fundamental understanding of Ni-based superalloy brazing and PIM processing. This thermal analysis**will be used to develop processing techniques which avoid the formation of detrimental boride compounds and**porosity in the brazed joint. The analysis will also develop a deep understanding of the changes taking place**during debinding, sintering and heat treatment of PIM parts.**This program will allow P&WC to extend NS processing to the structural parts of their engine manufacturing**operations, thus decreasing the BTF, cost and material waste. This will lead to a more competitive Canadian**aerospace industry and economy, the development of green manufacturing technologies and an improved**environment. Thirteen highly qualified professionals will be trained during the program, who will contribute to**the aerospace industry for decades to come.