Advanced Damage Resistance for Next Generation Propulsion

Air Force Alignment: The high costs of manufacturing and the lifetime sustainment of gas turbine engine bladed disks (Blisks) is a multibillion-dollar problem for the Department of the Air Force (DAF). This project proposes a DAF-owned design technology that reduces damage likelihood and enables Additive Manufacturing (AM) and high-strength Aluminum to improve aircraft readiness. Successful demonstration of the design technology with AM and domestically sourced high-strength Aluminum creates the potential to affect $5B of the global Blisk market and reduce DAF dependency on China and Russia for aircraft Titanium. The Problem: Blisks (also called Integrally Bladed Rotors, or IBRs) are crucial parts in advanced gas turbine engines, each costing as much as $700k. With new purchase and replacement expenses projected to soar into the billions, the search for more cost-effective solutions has become a more pressing DAF need. AM is a prospective solution with high potential due to the ability to make parts lighter and more affordable. AM is also a more environmentally friendly manufacturing process. However, the current challenge with AM is that parts are not reliable enough for critical engine use. To solve this problem, new domestically sourced AM materials must be made for specific AM processes, and an enabling manufacturing method must be associated with AM. Incorporating these solutions can reduce Blisk costs significantly and ensure that these essential components are both affordable and dependable for DAF Operational Imperatives. Solution/Innovation: This project is a follow-on from an AFWERX Phase I effort that demonstrated a 10X damage resistance of Laser Powder Bed Fusion (LPBF) AM blades that were designed with The i-DAMP Method. The proposed follow-on project will use The i-DAMP Method to design a fan Blisk that is capable of achieving 85% vibration suppression and 3X damage resistance. The Blisk will be manufactured with LPBF AM and a novel AM Aluminum Alloy that has high strength capability without heat treatment. The primary goal for this project is to demonstrate both vibration and damage resistance of the LPBF Aluminum Blisk while operating in a relevant turbine engine environment. This project addresses mobility and cost effectiveness needs that propel DAF Operational Imperatives and provides an alternative to DAF dependence on adversary nations for Titanium.